The Chicago Bulls Should Pick Derrick Rose

After seeing what Chris Paul and Deron Williams did for their respective NBA franchises, selecting Derrick Rose with the No. 1 overall pick should be a no-brainer.

He fits the three phases the Bulls are lacking.

Statistically

In his only year at Memphis, he led the Tigers to a 37-win campaign while averaging 14.7 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. He also led The Boys of Beale Street within seconds of a national title and when it mattered the most Rose averaged 20.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6 assists per game in the NCAA Tournament while upping his field goal percentage to 51.8-percent.

He Fits One Of The Bulls' Needs

And even though the Bulls are loaded at the guard position, each of them is coming off down years and would be best suited as trade bait. Neither Ben Gordon nor Kirk Hinrich excels at running the point, but if they were put on the trading block Gordon's ability to fill it up and Hinrich's defensive skills could be valuable to some teams in need.

Rose would be the pure point guard that would instantly make everyone on the floor better. Imagine him feeding Thabo Sefalosha, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. It makes you want to see it live, doesn't it?

The Ultimate Marketing Tool

Let's be honest, like any professional sport, basketball execs main concern is making the big bucks. Drafting Rose would instantly remove the Bulls from the back burner and place them as the headliner in the sports pages when the fall rolls around.

The promise of the Simeon grad coming home and running Vinny Del Negro's Suns-Lite offense could be pleasing to the eye, especially after last year's offensive debacle. Remember, it was former Suns head coach (who almost landed with the Bulls before signing with the New York Knicks) Mike D'Antoni who said Rose was Jason Kidd with a jump shot.

Combine that with the fact that his hometown team has the No. 1 pick and D-Rose can all but punch his ticket back to The City of Wind.

Deal Or No Deal: D-Wade's Homecoming?

The only thing that might prevent Derrick Rose's homecoming party would be the homecoming of a fellow Chicagoan.

One rumor suggests that the Miami Heat might package the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft along with Dwyane Wade in exchange for the No. 1 pick currently held by the Chicago Bulls. From there, the Heat would select Rose.

Last week at The Big Dead Sidebar, I suggested that Bulls GM John Paxson explore all possibilities, including acquiring Rose and Beasley.

That deal might be just a pipe dream, but this rumor just might be the most tempting offer the Bulls will receive before draft day. Don't forget, Wade was the man Paxson wanted in the 2003 draft before Miami scooped him up, leaving Chicago to settle for Kirk Hinrich.

Wade, who starred at Richards High School and Marquette, grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and would be the Bulls' first superstar since Jordan last graced this city in 1998.

The deal would also allow the Bulls to select Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, presenting Chicago with the best case scenario of a star point guard and the low-post scorer Bulls fans have been craving.

Imagine the buzz that would come with teaming the former NBA Finals MVP with the guy who was college basketball's best player despite not winning the award.

How good would the Bulls lineup be if Wade, Thabo Sefolosha, Luol Deng, Beasley and Joakim Noah.

Imagine how much better that lineup could be if the Bulls could trade valuable pieces such as Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Drew Gooden

23 days 'til the Bulls are officially on the clock.

Jackpot!

If my name was Jerry Reinsdorf, I'd be buying 100 tickets to play the Illinois Lottery's Mega Millions game.

On the same night his baseball team beat Cleveland Indians starter C.C. Sabathia for the first time at Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular Field, his basketball team won the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Despite the odds, which pegged the Bulls with a 1.7-percent chance to land the top pick, the Bulls leap-frogged from the No. 9 position all the way to the chance to grab the impact player of their choice.

So who do you want?

Kansas State forward Michael Beasley was an absolute beast in his one year on campus.

The 6-foot-9-inch future star averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament. He shot over 53-percent from the field and showed a feathery touch from beyond the arc, making over 37-percent of his 3-point shots.

Beasley is the low-post presence the Bulls have been missing. He's a game-changer who I think will average better than 20 points and 10 rebounds and be a star in the league.

Then there's Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, the Chicago native that averaged 14.9 points and 4.7 assists per game in his only collegiate season.

In the NCAA tourney, Rose averaged 20.8 points and 6 assists for a team that was a few missed free-throws away from winning the NCAA title. If not for the heroics of Davidson's Stephen Curry, Rose would have been the face of The Big Dance, especially after hitting the shot of the tournament.

The Bulls need Rose, who would be next in the line of elite guards that are taking over the basketball world such as Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Steve Nash. His addition would allow General Manger John Paxson to package Kirk Hinrich and/or Ben Gordon in an off-season trade.

But the Bulls need Michael Beasley, too. Chicago's professional basketball team hasn't had a low-post presence since Elton Brand averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in his two seasons in Chicago. Drafting Beasley would allow the Bulls to package either Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah in a trade.

The best thing about being No. 1 is that the Bulls can't lose!

I'm sure Mike D'Antoni is kicking himself as he looks forward to coaching the Knicks and working with Italian project Danilo Gallinari.