A Few Lottery Thoughts (The Envelopes, Please)
The Bulls get the No. 1 pick with no help from Isiah Thomas.
by Russ Bengtson
Doris Burke’s pre-lotto interview with Jay-Z at the draft lottery marked a new low in NBA history. You’re forgiven, Kermit Washington. Come back, Roy Tarpley. Rest in peace, Len Bias.
Yes, Jay is a minority owner of the New Jersey Nets. Yes, he’s good friends with everyone from Michael Jordan to LeBron James and every Nike endorsee in-between (and apparently O.J. Mayo, too—whoops!). But did we really need to hear his opinions on who the Nets are interested in (Beasley and Rose, shocking), especially when he didn’t seem even remotely interested in giving them?
Burke’s pre-lotto-show interview with David Stern was markedly better, as she hit him with a one-two punch of the age limit and the O.J. Mayo scenario (he predictably praised the first and patronizingly deflected the second as being the NCAA’s problem). That said, I’d still rather see Doris stranded on a desert island than on my TV screen for the rest of the playoffs.
We have the usual bizarro game-show format for the seating, with a diminutive “lucky” fan from Sacramento sitting alongside Larry Bird and Jay-Z. Burke engages them in a little Trebekian chit-chat, and you know basketball lifers like the Bucks’s John Hammond can’t stand any of it. Rudy Gay, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant have probably never been so bored in their lives.
Finally, the envelopes.
14. Golden State
13. Portland
12. Sacramento
11. Indiana
10. Dallas
9. Charlotte
8. Milwaukee
7. Clippers
6. Knicks
5. Memphis
4. Seattle
The Bulls have moved into the top three, deservedly displacing the carpetbagging Sonics. And so much for the Sacramento luck lady. Although if she was so lucky in the first place, she probably wouldn’t be a Kings fan.
3. Minnesota
2. Miami
1. Chicago
Well now. I’d write more, but I have to go to Chicago and help Kirk Hinrich pack.
Take it away.
83 Responses to “A Few Lottery Thoughts (The Envelopes, Please)”
May.20 at 8:35 pm
Sir Chuck says:
First! Lets go heat!,Lets go heat!
May.20 at 8:38 pm
bbfan says:
i’m confused does Jay-Z partially own the New Jery Nets or New York Knicks?
May.20 at 8:38 pm
Sir Chuck says:
Also i like this position for Miami sit back and let the bulls make the choice either way were getting a stud. Hope they take Beasley!(either way they still need a threat in the postso i could eaily see them going that way)
May.20 at 8:39 pm
Free Vick says:
A magazine that interviewed Pete Rock wants to question interviewing Jay-z before the lottery?
May.20 at 8:41 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Not that I’m one to offer unsolicited advice to NBA teams, but the Bulls should probably consider hiring a coach now. (And hey D’Antoni, you could have coached Rose if you just waited. Enjoy Jerryd Bayless.)
May.20 at 8:51 pm
Reggie says:
I was prayin Miami didnt get first cause i felt they would do somethin stupid and pick Rose over beasley when they don’t have a post. But now Chicago(my hometown) got 1st pick and aint no tellin which way they’ll go. what do they need?
May.20 at 8:51 pm
DP says:
lol at Russ. But I was talking to my homeboy the other day and he claimed that Captain Kirk was the perfeft point guard for the team.Perfect? wtf I said to him. Now that the Bulls got lucky has HELL Rose is the PERFECT fit for any team but the CHI. I just don’t want to see the kid struggle on a team that just looks great on paper but plays like sh*t on the court. I was reading Joakim’s rookie diary and he said this can never happen again. Let’s hope that Rose can make that happen. But hey I think the trinity of Beasley, Wade, and Marion doesn’t sound bad at all. O.J. Mayo and Al Jefferson sounds pretty damn good too. No need for Brook Lopez with that third pick.
May.20 at 8:55 pm
Candice says:
I am shocked and happy as a Bulls fan. I just hope Paxson doesn’t screw this up.
May.20 at 8:55 pm
Candice says:
I am shocked and happy as a Bulls fan. I just hope Paxson doesn’t screw this up.
May.20 at 8:58 pm
Eboy says:
Congrats to Russ and Bulls fans everywhere. With their young nucleus, the maturation of Rose won’t be so hard to take and they should be playoff bound in 2 to 3 seasons. As for the Heat, with Wade, Marion (ugh) and Beasley, Haslem becomes expendable in the front court (unless they can bamboozle someone to take Marion of their hands) and Haslem and pieces can bring a servicable veteran point to lead the three running, dunking wingman they’ll be fielding. Nice for both squads, so it worked out well for two franchises that suffered through equally sh*tty seasons.
May.20 at 9:00 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Did you just hear that? That was Loul Deng giving out the loudest tribalscream ever - finally some help. Hoorayyy my Bulls finally caught a break. But who should they pick?! I am leaning towards Beasley, but on the other hand, PG’s are the new centers and Bulls still have Ty Thomas, Noah and Gooden’s beard at PF.. Hmm if they could get value for Kirk, maybe it would be the better move!? arghh f*ck it.. They are gonna get an All-Star, I’m happy either way. Out of sheer joy I promise not to badmouth Kobe for a full 24 hours starting now.
May.20 at 9:03 pm
niQ says:
with tyrus and noah in the paint.. they should pick rose over beasley..
May.20 at 9:05 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Btw, First the Bulls win the lottery and now Kendrick Perkins has 8 rebounds at the end of the first quarter - NBA where the unexpected happens.
May.20 at 9:14 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Thanks for posting, Russ. Yeah Bulls! I’d take Beasley but I’m sure the hometown PG will be tempting. I actually didnt mind Doris Burke in the last round of the Playoffs, though I missed this Jay-Z fiasco. And Free Vick: what’s wrong with Pete Rock?!
May.20 at 9:15 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Besides, interview in magazine =/= interview on lottery telecast.
May.20 at 9:48 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I kinda like Doris Burke, both as an announcer, and in a naughty way.
May.20 at 9:49 pm
RV says:
The heat get f*cked by karma, but get bailed out at the same time
May.20 at 9:51 pm
RV says:
Russ, how about Rafer backing up rose? We’ll take hinrich
May.20 at 10:00 pm
RV says:
and why is Dallas 10th instead of new jersey?
May.20 at 10:03 pm
TADOne says:
F*ck a 1.7% chance! Could this be good karma from Michael hiring Larry?
May.20 at 10:05 pm
TADOne says:
On a side note: As a Pistons fan, i’m now upset that Chauncey will have to chase around Rose for the next 4-5 seasons.
Ok, back to the game!
May.20 at 10:06 pm
RV says:
nah, its good karma from tanking the “right way”
May.20 at 10:09 pm
daturns says:
The Bulls should pick Beasley. They are looking for a frontcourt scorer for what, the last 3 years? I think that was what they are lacking for them to have a potentially great team. Beasley can also erase the mistake of getting Ty Thomas instead of Aldridge. Trade Thomas for a backup PG. Bulls starting 5 could be Noah - C, Beasley - PF, Deng - SF, Gordon - SG, Hinrich - PG. Bench: Nocioni, Gooden. That would be a DEEP and relatively young team. I’m getting excited about next season already:) Take that D’Antoni!!!
May.20 at 10:11 pm
AP says:
I liked how Doris Burke called the Bulls guy Stan when he was introducing, instead of his real name Steven.
May.20 at 10:23 pm
Emry DowningHall says:
The Jay-Z interview was a nightmare. Also, I thought Fred Hoiberg was going to rip the head of that Teddy Bear when the Wolves failed to secure a top two pick.
May.20 at 11:14 pm
albie1kenobi says:
if nets’ pick was going to dallas, why does lucky lefty want a high pick? was it top 3 protected or something?
May.20 at 11:15 pm
B. Long says:
If Chi-town can make the right moves as far as hiring a coach goes, they will be a playoff team regardless whether they get Rose or Beastley. If they get Rose Hinrich or Duhon has gotta go. If they get Beastley Gooden,Thomas,Deng,Nocioni,and Noah are all expendable. One of them will def. get shipped out. Is there any way to get Elton Brand back?
May.20 at 11:32 pm
RV says:
so i guess thats the pick fromt he kidd trade? Dallas can get sumn nice at 10, but they’ll probably trade it for a vet (should anyway)
May.21 at 12:25 am
Captain America says:
All well and good. But one draftee is not going to turn around the Bulls and Heat. We go through this every year. Where did the Sonics end up this year with Durant and Green?
May.21 at 12:28 am
Captain America says:
The lottery show is boring. Just run the numbers and move along.
May.21 at 12:47 am
Russ Bengtson says:
The Sonics were a) WAY worse than the Bulls, and b) traded away Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Kurt Thomas. Not the same at all. More like the Sixers or Hawks.
May.21 at 12:48 am
Sir Chuck says:
@Captain America Alongside a healthy Dwyane Wade next season(Its like everyone forgot how good he is and thinks hes finished)the addition of Beasley or Rose will have a much bigger impact than Durant and Green did so thats not even a good comparison imo…
May.21 at 12:48 am
Russ Bengtson says:
By which I mean the Bulls are more like the Hawks or Sixers. Especially if they hire the right coach. Which I, um, don’t have much faith in them doing.
May.21 at 1:13 am
Co Co says:
Didn’t Wade all but say he wanted to play with Rose when they interviewed him somewhere during the NCAA Tourney? I mean I think he was talking about Rose because it was late in the tourney and Wade said the guy he wanted was still playing. That pretty much excludes Beasley. Not that Wade has a say, but just in case management wants his opinion……
May.21 at 1:18 am
d.Y. says:
Why couldn’t D’antoni have waited a few weeks before signing anything? Anytime the Knicks think they’ve one upped the Bulls, they end up losing. I truly think Zeke has been secretly doing everything he can to help Chi City at the Knicks’ expense to make up for the “walk off” game and always roughing up MJ.
May.21 at 1:46 am
Captain America says:
Bulls problems run much deeper than what one draftee (or two re: Sonics) can change. Same goes for Heat. Rose will help as point guard but Heat lack a big in the middle who can snag rebounds and defend the rim. Bulls had more internal battles than the WWF last season. They have several pieces but no whole. They got a couple of draftees last season but the team continues to tank. You are welcome to you dreams however.
May.21 at 2:17 am
maclovenotwar says:
can rose’s nickname be “jalen”?
May.21 at 2:20 am
Sir Chuck says:
Ill agrre with you that its obvious the Heat will need more than Beasley/Rose to become contenders let alone an elite team but with either or, the Heat most definately make the playoffs(If Wade is Wade) and were not even talkin about a player we can get with the MLE or a Pat Riley move into account. Also on a side note isnt it officially the WWE now? Although i might be wrong since i havent watched wrestling since i was 12…
May.21 at 6:19 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
As a Knicks fan, I’m now officially miffed. After all that’s happened, karma dealing a nice hand to the Knickerbockers would’ve been sorta fair for a change. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Instead, the Heat, who played an all-NBDL team for the latter half of the season in hopes of landing a good pick, and the Bulls, who have had plenty of top picks over the past years but still suck, won it. Yes, I’m bitter.
May.21 at 6:53 am
bostwik says:
And there goes Joakim’s job.
May.21 at 8:04 am
Tariq says:
I don’t watch college ball, so I don’t know anything about Beasley and Rose. But I thought that when there’s no clear consensus as to who should go first, usually the big gets chosen. So why is everyone assuming the Bulls will pick Rose and not Beasley? Excuse my ignorance.
May.21 at 8:05 am
Tariq says:
I’m really looking forward to see what trades transpire.
May.21 at 8:16 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
Good choice David Stern. Got the Celtics and Lakers in the right direction, the Knicks got capable GM and coach, and now the Bulls get some help. Well done!
May.21 at 8:27 am
riggs says:
david stern is brewing a cauldron somewhere sam.
May.21 at 8:32 am
Krishan says:
Rose reminds me too much of Dwade, actually. Right now the heat I think is better off with Beasley. And I agree with Eboy, Haslem’s gone after the draft.
May.21 at 8:42 am
chi town fan says:
WOOOO!!!!!!!! GO CHICAGO
DONT MESS THIS UP PAXSON
May.21 at 8:46 am
Andrew says:
isn’t Capt Kirk a hometown pg as well? anyway go knicks!
May.21 at 8:58 am
Cheryl says:
conspiracy, i tell ya!
May.21 at 8:59 am
warr says:
the bulls should take rose but he wont work in chicago too many egos on that team and they are to going to lose their best shooter ben gordon they have to blow that team up if they want too work. The heat like I said before should trade the pick for Elton brand and clippers draft pick or Jermaine O’Neal and Pacers pick or even one of the Knicks overpaid big men and their draft picks . Is it just me or beasley play like zach Randolph with hops. The timberwolves the lone wolf out of this need a point guard, even more than Chicago
May.21 at 9:32 am
DP says:
I know this has nothing to do with bball but this is crazy! Hottest MC’s in the Game(MTV version 2008) 10.T.I.
9.Andre 3000(WTF)
8.Young Jeezy
7.Lupe Fiasco(WTF)
6.50 Cent(shouldn’t even be on here)
5.Snoop Dogg(hell no)
4.Ricky Ross
3.Lil Wayne
2.JIGGA MAN
1.KANYE YEEZY WEST I’m actually not mad that lil wayne is not number mad. I’m mad as hell that the commitee talked about replacing Andre 3000 with Soulja Boy! and Ludacris didn’t even make the list. bullsh*t.
May.21 at 9:44 am
BETCATS says:
!9!
May.21 at 9:57 am
BETCATS says:
please draft Kevin Love for us Jesus.
May.21 at 10:03 am
zohar says:
as a bulls fan it all make sense…
the way the season went from a “championship” expections to a lottery team…
and now we can have a really good player !
(thank god jerry krause isn’t around he would have trade the pick for ryan hollins)
john don’t trade ! pick one !!!
May.21 at 10:21 am
Reggie says:
OK, im sorry, but I jus gotta put this out there. Neone who thinks Beasley isnt goin to change the face of a frachise, then your a damn fool. Wade-Marion-Beasley will be unstoppable. He takes a ten point hit to his scoring in college and hes still droppin close to 20, so with that startin 3 u go 26-20-20. add 12-10 from the weak but efficient gaurd-center play and you got 90+ points in the startin line up. Add 6-12-10 in rebounds with a 3-6 from the off side and thats 30 40+ rebounds. This is just the startin line up. What the hell is ose gone do for the Heat. Take a dump and look what you have and thats what Rose brings to Miami. I saying he not good, im saying put 2 d-wade style players together and you f*ck up the franchise
May.21 at 10:35 am
Cub Buenning says:
First, Kirk is from Iowa.
Rose was/is the first pick, we’ll have to disagree, Ben.
I’ve seen them both well into double figures (Rose almost every college game) and there is one basic thing that stands out.
Rose is a freak of nature. I’ve seen Beas before. I have never seen a pass-first point catch a bounce pass on the block, pivot and two-hand bang it on a 7-footer. (See elite 8 v. Texas)
May.21 at 10:36 am
Allenp says:
I think the Bulls should get Beasley. He’s the missing link.
May.21 at 10:45 am
Candice says:
More that I think about it, I think the Bulls should pick Rose. If they take Beasley it’s going to be logged jack jam in the front court. It’s not that easy to get rid of player’s to make more moves for others. I think that Ben Gordon will be officially gone now and that Deng is staying.
May.21 at 11:20 am
Allenp says:
Candice, all their frontcourt players are young and most of them are still on their rookie contracts. It’s much easier to move players with smaller contracts. If they take Rose, they have to trade Hinrich, and his value is dunzo thanks to an off year.
May.21 at 11:31 am
ciolkstar says:
Its weird. Chicago cannot solve all its problems just by adding Rose/Beasley. They’ll need to try and move atleast a couple players in hopes of securing a solid PG or PF/C (whichever position they don’t draft) This team REALLY doesn’t need to get any younger, they need to package a couple young guys for one nice verteran piece. Hire Paul Silas!
May.21 at 11:33 am
Khalid Salaam says:
log jam in the front court? I don’t believe in not drafting someone b/c you already have people for that postion on your roster. The bulls need frontcourt scoring right? well here it is, gift-wrapped for you. Are bulls fans actually this crazy as to not accept what you’ve been asking for?
May.21 at 11:45 am
Candice says:
They need a pg too. Kirk is nice guard but he’s not a pg.
May.21 at 11:48 am
Candice says:
Also Kirk get’s killed here by the media in Chicago. No one really feel’s he is a pg so…….. to me they can’t go wrong either way. I don’t know who they are going to pick, I just want the team to get better.
May.21 at 11:55 am
Cub Buenning says:
Second the notion of Paul Silas getting another job.
May.21 at 12:08 pm
Diesel says:
@Eboy - playoffs in 2 or 3 years??? They were 3 or 4 games out of it this year. Playoffs next year fo sho. And Beasly will be the next Drew Gooden. And we already got him. That post dominance in collge won’t translate as much to the pros. He’ll be good, not great.
May.21 at 12:15 pm
Diesel says:
Being form Chicago and having to watch every Bulls game this year, I can safetly say that there were AT LEAST 10 games this season where we were down 1 - 3 points and Gordon would just dribble at the top of the key and lose the ball. Rose handling the ball eliminates those mistakes and maybe we win those 10 games.
May.21 at 12:24 pm
Shawn Bradley Jr. says:
if she was so lucky in the first place, she probably wouldn’t be a Kings fan. hahaha good one.
May.21 at 12:37 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I’m offended that no one was offended by my Doris Burke comment.
May.21 at 12:59 pm
what says:
I was just shocked to find out that there are people under the age of 80 named “Doris”.
May.21 at 1:01 pm
what says:
Also I am still thrilled that there was no mention of the Hawks at an NBA draft lottery for the first time since I was in high school.
May.21 at 1:04 pm
moet says:
no brainer ROSE
bulls deep @ 4 beasley would not fit
cleveland got lebron the home town kid
look @ the cavs now
wake up paxson
the bulls need an identity
May.21 at 2:08 pm
albie1kenobi says:
Ryan is like the kid in school yard who kicked some other kid and got upset when no one even looked at him.
and i think Khalid said it perfecly about bulls and beasly. i thought bulls had been crying about not having an inside presence since they foolishly traded elton brand for a pretzel and a cheesecake?
May.21 at 2:17 pm
thasam says:
@Khalid - I completely agree. Gordon and Heinrich wouldn’t have so much pressure on them and dribble the ball out of bounds or what have you if the Bulls had someone that could make them pay up front for overplaying their backcourt. Adding a rookie PG like Rose will only make the problem worse. Gooden is a role player who isn’t that mobile and Noah is not a scoring threat. Didn’t all of you want KG in the offseason because of this?
May.21 at 2:30 pm
Diesel says:
What’s to say Beasley will be a dominant inside presense in the NBA??!! I think he’s a bit undersized at 6′9″ 235. Lebron is bigger than him! I think he’s a good player, but he no gaurenteed allstar.
May.21 at 6:14 pm
noel says:
first of all rose will be drafted cuz the frontcourt of beasley,thomas, and noah,gooden will simply not work at all…but on the other hand …hughes,gordon;deng,hinrick rose not finna work— odd man out…..isaih thomas lolz
May.21 at 6:36 pm
Johnny Kilroy says:
who would have thought that someone who had made millions about millions of dollars based solely on eloquence would ever had the ‘Jay talking
May.21 at 6:42 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
If only they would have just kept LaMarcus Aldridge—or better yet, drafted Amare in 2002.
May.21 at 10:01 pm
Z says:
Again, I might be completely off on this one… but is it even THAT close between Beasley and Rose?! Everybody agreed at the end of the season that Chicago needed a scoring big. Guess what, 26 and 12 is here. Take him. End of.
May.22 at 4:47 am
Dacre says:
Heh…they wont take Beasley….Rose’s connection to Chicago thru his school days makes it a “fans choice”… IF CHICAGO WANT TO GET BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS YOU TAKE BEAST-LY!…but no…they wont. Beasley will go to Miami. Champions in 2010.
May.22 at 5:08 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Beasley was a dominant power forward in college, true. But he’s smaller than LeBron James. I don’t think he’s such an obvious number one over Rose. Seems to me that Rose’s skills would translate more easily to the next level.
May.22 at 7:43 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
@DP: That list was hot garbage, but Andre 3000 deserved to be on it. Hands down. He’s lately - after starting to rap again - become one of the better MCs out there. Naming Kanye - with his studied, trying-too-hard flow - the best MC, however, is just ridiculous.
May.22 at 9:02 am
Z says:
Russ, half the power forwards in this league are smaller than LeBron James. Hasn’t stopped Jamison from getting 20 and 10, did it? And Beasley is like two or three levels above Antwan.
May.22 at 9:03 am
Z says:
I guess I’ll have to agree to disagree with the whole SLAM msg board.
May.22 at 9:41 am
Cub Buenning says:
Z, your take on Jamison is WAY off. Dude was one of the best college players of the past decade, but that hasn’t translated to titles or even long playoff runs (I love ajam, btw).
Beasley is not WAY above him, but he will be a great nba player; Rose could transcend the game. A strong, TParker-quick, 6-3 pass-first point with a 40+” vert and tons of humility. No brainer in my book.