Hold the Mayo -- Heat Looking at OJ?

There is much debate afloat as to who Chicago will pick -- Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley. Many predict the Heat will take whoever is available after the first pick. However, Chad Ford recently reported that a source familiar with Miami said that Pat Riley is interested in taking OJ Mayo, the 6'4" combo-guard out of Southern Cal.

Sources say that Miami would prefer Derrick Rose. However, if the Bulls were to select the Chicago native, the Heat may consider taking OJ Mayo. I simply do not understand this. If the Heat aren't sold on Michael Beasley at the forward position, I don't know who else will sell it coming out of the Draft. Beasley is a clear upgrade over Udonis Haslem. With the selection of Beasley, it could leave Haslem as a trade bait. There are plenty of teams that could use a hard-nosed player like Haslem. Miami could draft Beasley and trade Haslem for a point guard. I do not see the same amount of flexibility occurring with a selection of OJ Mayo.

The Heat already have a 6'4", athletic guard -- and that's Dwyane Wade. Many view Mayo as somewhat of a tweener, that he has not shown the ability to become a complete point guard. While Mayo has more of a three-point shot -- something Derrick Rose lacks -- he can tend to become too enamored with the three. Miami's best bet at this point would be to select Derrick Rose. If Chicago selects him, I would draft Beasley and swing a deal involving Haslem to get a solid point guard.

As I have said before, it is hard to envision Chicago selecting Rose. Although this was a down year for him (and perhaps everyone wearing a Bulls uniform), Kirk Hinrich has been a steady point guard for John Paxson. He has averaged 15-17 points the past three seasons, and lead them back to playoff contention. His contract also keeps him locked up for the next four seasons. The Bulls have planned to keep Hinrich in Chicago long-term.

With their only low-post scorer being Drew Gooden (and he's more of a pick-and-pop guy, anyway), Michael Beasley appears to be a better fit for the Bulls. In addition to his low-post prowess, Beasley was also a strong rebounder with Kansas State, which satisfies another need for Chicago. This will be a hard pick for John Paxson, but I expect them to select Beasley.

Pat Riley would be stupid to come out of the Draft and not acquire one of the two best players in this Draft, Beasley or Rose. These are two players who have the potential to become All-Stars in the immediate future. To get anything less would be, arguably, the dumbest thing Riles has done in his career.

With Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, and Udonis Haslem, the Heat are a big man away from having a bright future. OJ Mayo is not a pure point guard. I know that Wade handles the ball a lot, but someone like Derrick Rose would be the best thing for Wade. Competing vigorously this off-season, it is imperative for the Heat not to put too much weight on Dwyane Wade's shoulders. Having him focused completely on scoring will make things better for Wade and the Miami Heat.

Michael Beasley could help bring a lot of scoring and rebounding to the team. But if the Heat select him, it is virtually a sure-fire bet that Udonis Haslem will not be in a Heat uniform next season. He may be packaged to obtain another first round pick. The Heat could come up lucky and get a DJ Augustin, who has mock drafts putting him all over the first round. A more realistic choice is Ty Lawson, whose cat quickness and strength made a name for himself at UNC.

The 2008 NBA Draft has quality options at each position. With the second pick, it should be easy to come away a step closer to returning to contention. The question is how far Pat Riley will go to give Erik Spoelstra a foundation to return to the playoffs.