Watching Derrick Rose throughout the NCAA Tournament, I was convinced he had to be the first pick in the draft regardless of who had the number one pick. Rose is a special talent, not only gifted with superior physical attributes, but also a cool demeanor on and off the court. Conversely, Michael Beasley is an athletic beast, and much more outspoken then his counterpart Derrick Rose. As I look deeper by putting the Bulls pick in context with their roster, picking Beasley is the right move.
The Bulls are in desperate need of a low post scorer, and Beasley fills that hole. This argument has already been thrown around already, so I wont go into it.
Watching the Bulls last year, was like watching 12 men in study hall. The team is soft. The roster is filled with great guys, but the nice guys don’t always win. There most outspoken personality is Joker Noah, who the Bulls are praying will no longer run his mouth. Beasley has arrogance and an attitude that the Bulls desperately need. Beasley is a “no more BS” guy, and doesn’t mind speaking his mind, ala Kevin Garnett. On the other hand, Rose is player who will lead by example. There is no doubt in my mind that Rose will be a tremendous leader in this league, but the Bulls desperately need some more attitude to be contenders.
People forget that many “experts” picked the Bulls to go to the conference finals and even the NBA finals last year. The year before that, the Bulls showed they were only a couple of steps away from being title contenders. Keep in mind Kirk Hienrich was the point guard of this team, and even regarded as the cornerstone of the Bulls organization. Do you really think the Bulls are ready to throw away Hienrich? Yes, he played terrible last year, but the season was filled with miscommunication between the players and the coach. I agree Rose is heads and a shoulder above Hienrich, but a team doesn’t win if it’s not balanced one through five. That brings us to the possibility of trading Hienrich. Looking at Paxons trading record, I wouldn’t count on him bringing in to much in return. Be honest with yourself, the man brought in one of the worst NBA contracts ever put together in Larry Hughes’s 18 million dollars a year laundry service. Hienrich is a guy that gets the job done, and has proven to be a floor leader.
With Five minutes left to go and the Bulls down 7, who can the Bulls rely on to shoulder the load and bring home a victory. Don’t expect Rose to be that guy. He is strictly a pass first guy, and has mentioned many times he prefers to pass the ball more than he shoots. There is no guarantee that Beasley will be that guy, but it remains a fact that the Bulls need a go to guy in the fourth quarter. There is a better chance of Beasley assuming that role, as opposed to Rose. Sorry Bulls fan, Rose is special but he’s not going to be your savior.
Look there is a great chance that everything I mention will be disproved. There’s no doubt that Rose will be a superstar for years to come, but the Bulls desperately need a scorer more than a facilitator. Beasley adds much needed attitude to this team, and don’t forget Hienrich can still play ball at a high level.
