Not much suspense behind Bulls' pick

There was some relevant news Thursday regarding the Bulls' No. 1 pick in tonight's NBA draft.

The online sportsbook Bodog announced that it suspended all wagering on the No. 1 pick because no matter how steep the odds, people wouldn't stop backing Derrick Rose.

That sums up the suspense level in a nutshell. Unless Miami president Pat Riley calls today offering Dwyane Wade for the top pick, the 6-foot-3 Memphis point guard officially will join his hometown team shortly after 6 p.m.

The top draft prospects gathered in New York and met briefly with the media Wednesday.

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"I'm just happy," Rose said of his state of mind. "All of this stuff is overwhelming. My family is here, my friends who I played against. We're just having fun, that's what its all about."

Bulls general manager John Paxson already stated his reasons for siding with Rose on Tuesday. Nothing against Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley, who may be a great NBA player, but the Bulls believe Rose will have the greater long-term impact on winning.

In an era when the league is trying to speed up play and outlaw hand checks, Rose has the tools to become one of the best of a terrific group of young point guards.

There do not appear to be any overwhelming offers coming in for the top pick. The Bulls have not entered any serious discussions yet for deals involving their current players.

Once the Bulls choose Rose, they'll need to thin out a crowded backcourt. One of Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes or Ben Gordon figures to depart, but Paxson said Tuesday he wants to settle on a new contracts for restricted free agents Gordon and Luol Deng before moving any other pieces.

It is not realistic for Hinrich or Andres Nocioni to be traded now, anyway, because both will lose base-year compensation status on July 1, which will make a trade much easier.

There may not be a sure-fire franchise player available at No. 1 for the lucky lottery winners, but the Bulls can be eternally grateful they are not picking ninth this year.

Outside of the Bulls choosing Rose, nothing seems very certain in this draft, not even the No. 2 choice.

The buzz on South Beach has Miami shopping for different options than Beasley with the second pick. Why Riley would be reluctant to pair Beasley with Wade is anyone's guess. Maybe it's all a bluff.

But the Heat has made appearances of being enamored of USC guard O.J. Mayo, even though he appears to be a poor man's Wade.

There also is talk that Miami would drop down to the No. 5 pick if Memphis is willing to swap point guard Mike Conley. Should that happen, the Heat likely would take UCLA big man Kevin Love.

Another rumor has Miami sending the No. 2 and Shawn Marion to the Los Angeles Clippers for No. 7 and Elton Brand. Such a deal would break the Bulls' hearts, since Brand qualifies as their dream acquisition this summer.

If Beasley does go second, most mock drafts have Mayo going third to Minnesota. That could change, since the Timberwolves could use a center such as Stanford's Brook Lopez to take defensive pressure off Al Jefferson.

Seattle at No. 4 seems likely to take either Lopez or Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless. Memphis could go several directions if it keeps the fifth pick, while the New York Knicks at No. 6 are expected to go with a guard, perhaps Bayless or Indiana's Eric Gordon.

By No. 9, where the Bulls would have chosen had they not won the lottery, the best choices appear to include 5-11 Texas point guard D.J. Augustin, project center DeAndre Jordan of Texas AM or Italian sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari.

Love is almost certain to be gone before 9, as is surprisingly athletic West Virginia forward Joe Alexander.

During his Tuesday news briefing, Paxson praised the available talent, then listed a bunch of guys who likely will be off the board before the ninth choice.

"There are some very, very good players in this draft," Paxson said. "Lopez and Love, they're very, very good. The guards that are out there, Mayo and Bayless and Gordon - there's a ton of talent in this draft.

"I think why it's come down to those two (Rose and Beasley) in our mind, I think both of those guys, over the long term, they're going to have an impact on winning."