(Best E Casino) - The 2008 NBA draft should be interesting right from the start, with Thursday evening marking the beginning of what promises to be a wild and crazy offseason in the NBA.
Projected top two picks Derrick Rose of Memphis and Michael Beasley of Kansas State project to have a major and immediate impact on the league, fueling trade speculation as it applies to both players.
Chicago, which beat the odds and secured the top pick despite a 1.7 percent chance, appears set to take hometown favorite Rose. However, it would not be a surprise if the Bulls make a move and trade down.
Miami, which picks second, could be looking to swap with Chicago. The Heat are looking to go in a new direction and may make All-Star guard Dwyane Wade available if it means they can move up to select Rose.
The Bulls would then add Beasley's substantial skills to their frontcourt, boosting the team's talent level (and star power) immensely.
After Beasley and Rose, all bets are off.
Minnesota will make the third selection, and the rebuilding Timberwolves could be looking for a big man to complement Al Jefferson. The franchise could also be targeting an offensive-minded guard like USC's OJ Mayo, who appears ready to contribute right away in an NBA setting.
Picking a guard with the fourth overall selection seems to be the way the SuperSonics are headed, while with the fifth pick, Memphis would like to add another athletic player who can play an up-tempo style. The Sonics and Grizzlies need help in the front and backcourts, so it would not be shocking if both franchises do the opposite of what the so-called experts are predicting.
New York, the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee, Charlotte, New Jersey, Indiana, Sacramento, Portland and Golden State will acquire the remaining lottery picks (1-14), with any number of players a possibility to come off the board during this juncture.
Kevin Love, whose has seen his stock rise of late, is one such figure. The 6-9 Love played just one season at UCLA, but teams like his toughness and ability around the basket. Love, the son of former NBA forward Stan Love, is a hard worker and may be rewarded by being selected as high as the top five. Love is likely to be picked ahead of other elite forwards such as Anthony Randolph (LSU), Joe Alexander (West Virginia), Darrell Arthur (Kansas), and Marreese Speights (Florida).
In addition to Rose and Mayo, guards DJ Augustin (Texas), Jerryd Bayless (Arizona), Eric Gordon (Indiana), and Russell Westbrook (UCLA) give the draft plenty of strength in the backcourt. The 5-11 Augustin and Rose are the most highly-touted floor generals, while Bayless and Westbrook are combination guards who could possess greater value for teams deciding between two backcourt players. As for Gordon and Mayo, it's simple - they're scorers.
A thin center crop is led by DeAndre Jordan of Texas A&M and Brook Lopez of Stanford.
Italy's Danilo Gallinari and Nicolas Batum of France are the top two foreign players in the draft. The 6-8 Gallinari can play both backcourt spots as well as small forward, and is ready to mix it up in the NBA. Batum is also versatile, athletic and should be able to play multiple positions.
Even if Chicago and Miami stay put at Nos. 1 and 2, the possibility for early first-round trades bears watching.
Phoenix, which owns the 15th overall pick, is reportedly shopping forward Boris Diaw and guard Leandro Barbosa, while Denver may be looking to shake up its roster after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The Nuggets, who are scheduled to select a player at No. 20, and the Suns may be looking to add some young blood through the draft, and dealing veterans is the natural route for both to move up or add an additional pick.
Elsewhere, the Nets parted ways with Jason Kidd in February, and may explore doing the same with Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. A trade involving Carter and/or Jefferson would be a blockbuster, and could effectively grab the biggest headlines on draft night. The Nets, who pick 10th and 21st, join the Sonics (4, 24) and Grizzlies (5, 28) as the only teams with two picks in round one.
General managers throughout the league have to remember last year's big deal on draft night, as the Boston Celtics began their move toward world champion status via the acquisition of All-Star guard Ray Allen from Seattle. Of course, the trade for Kevin Garnett was the one that put the Celtics over the top, but it all started at the 2007 draft.
The potential for another such deal is realistic. There are teams that are looking to make big changes to their rosters, adding greatly to the mystery of what could be the most intriguing draft in some time.
