[Illusion]

The draft is Thursday night, so let's see your top 10.

[bigboydan]

The Miami pick could throw a monkey wrench into the top 10. I'm starting to believe that they are serious about taking Mayo.

[SBR Lou]

Maybe they are trying to drive his (Beasley assuming Rose goes 1) value down in some odd sort of way.

[Deuce]

Rose
Beasley
Mayo
Love
Westbrook
Bayliss
Gallinari
Gordon
Lopez
Augustine

[BurtRapp]

Going to a big draft party, Super excited.

[Hoja Verdes]

The first week of June, I was especially drunk one night and decided that Rose to go #1 was the lock of the century (I say this tongue in cheek, as stated, I was wasted). I hammered it for the largest bet I've ever placed on anything, 20x to win 10x. The next morning I almost called my guy to see if he'd cancel the bet. I'm a pretty disciplined bettor overall and don't ever do stupid sh1t like that. But after doing about as much "research" (lol) as one can do on a bet of that nature, I decided to let it ride.

I'm up about 16x right now in baseball for the year, so if it hits, I'm pretty sure it's time to cash out with my local and enjoy my extra free time until football season starts in 63 days.

[Chance Harper]

How will NBA Draft affect the betting odds?

Normally, the NBA Draft doesn't deal immediate consequences to sportsbook futures. But this isn't your normal NBA Draft starting with the clubs that own the first two picks, the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. While Derrick Rose appears to be the Bulls' No. 1 choice, the Heat are looking to possibly deal down and pass up the talented Michael Beasley. ESPN has all the 'action' tonight beginning at 7:00 Eastern.

The NBA Draft usually doesn’t have an immediate impact on the betting odds. There’s nothing usual about this Thursday night’s draft, however.

The Chicago Bulls have the first overall pick despite going into the draft lottery with a 1.7-percent chance of winning. All indications at press time were that the Bulls would select Derrick Rose, the point guard prodigy who led the Memphis Tigers to the brink of the NCAA men’s basketball title. Rose projects to be an instant upgrade over incumbent Kirk Hinrich, who is no slouch himself.

The Bulls are 40-1 on the futures market to win the 2009 NBA Finals. Last year’s squad was one of the preseason favorites to come out on top in the Eastern Conference before stumbling out of the gate, firing coach Scott Skiles and finishing 11th in the East at 33-49 (36-46 against the spread). The problem wasn’t Skiles, but a lack of cohesive talent and leadership on the floor. Rose will provide both in ample amounts.

The team he’ll lead will also look a lot different than the one that lost 10 of its first 12 games in 2007-08. As part of their deadline deal, the Bulls swapped a pair of underperforming players with huge contracts in Larry Hughes and Ben Wallace. Hughes’ slashing style is a better fit for the Bulls than it was in Cleveland, and removing Wallace from the team gave undervalued rookies Joakim Noah (15.54 PER) and Aaron Gray (14.02 PER) the chance to develop. Chicago could jump right back into the mix in the East once Rose joins forces with these young, talented players.

The Miami Heat are also due for an upgrade. They were last in the NBA last year at 15-67 (35-46-1 ATS), but they were also putting a D-League team on the court toward the end of the season. Dwyane Wade was shut down in early March. Shawn Marion followed soon after. Both are expected back and healthy after Marion decided not to opt out of the last year of his contract at $17.8 million.

They’re about to be joined by a considerable amount of talent. Reports at press time had the Heat shopping the No. 2 pick, looking to trade down to No. 4 or No. 5 and select a point guard of their own rather than take highly-rated power forward Michael Beasley from Kansas State. The most compelling offer has the cost-cutting Memphis Grizzlies (at No. 5) offering to trade up, with shooting guard Mike Miller (16.18 PER) and point guard Kyle Lowry (14.32 PER) going to Florida. The Heat would then wait for either O.J. Mayo or Jerryd Bayless to fall into their laps at No. 5. Both guards worked out for Miami to rave reviews.

How Miami decides to deal with the No. 2 pick will set the dominoes tumbling for the rest of the draft. This will surely not be the only major trade this week. The Toronto Raptors have already started the proceedings by sending point guard T.J. Ford to the Indiana Pacers as part of a package for forward-center Jermaine O’Neal. It’s a heck of a package for Indiana, as well: Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, the No. 17 pick in this year’s draft, and a later pick to balance out the dollars for salary-cap purposes.

It’s a major gamble for Toronto, but a frontcourt combo of O’Neal (14.40 PER in injury-limited action) and Chris Bosh (23.88 PER) working with Jose Calderon (20.51 PER) at the point would make the Raptors a solid value pick at 25-1 to win the title. Indiana, meanwhile, would finally get a point guard it can trust in Ford (20.37 PER). The question for Ford, as it is with O’Neal, is health. But the opportunity to get anyone but Jamaal Tinsley (12.75 PER) on the floor is too good for the Pacers to pass up.

ESPN will broadcast the 2008 NBA Draft from Madison Square Garden in New York starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

[Illusion]

Maybe they are trying to drive his (Beasley assuming Rose goes 1) value down in some odd sort of way.

Miami would be a fool to take Mayo over Beasley. I saw quite a few USC games this past fall/winter and I must say, Mayo is way over-rated,.

[gordon gekko]

Beasley is the better player on paper but the heat think O.J. is a better fit. They are most likely going to take Mayo.

[Panic]

Richard Jefferson traded to the Bucks for Yi and Bobby Simmons. No draft picks involved, but things are starting to move. The Nets are putting all their ducks in a row to make a run at LeBron. This trade helps them clear a lot of cap space.

[jjgold]

Is the draft really going to help anyone?? NO

Who is going to beat Portland, Lakers and Utah in West?? No one

Who is going to beat Boston in East?? No one

[Panic]

New Orleans can beat those 3 in the West. In the East it will Boston domination for the next 2 years, I agree.

[Illusion]

No shocker here, Derrick Rose of the Memphis Tigers goes number overall to the Chicago Bulls. Now the fun begins with the Miami Heat selecting second.

[SBR Lou]

Looks like I'm buying a Bulls jersey..

I love Derrick Rose's game...

[daggerkobe]

Rose is a B U S T in the making. He'll make Hinrich look like Magic in comparison.

[Illusion]

Who do you guys think the Bulls should trade, Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon?

[Illusion]

Miami selects Michael Beasley from Kansas State number two overall.

[Panic]

Gordon

[daggerkobe]

Heat gets the steal of the draft

[Panic]

No shock with the Beasley pick. Miami was just blowing smoke up eveyone's ass.

[SBR Lou]

Who do you guys think the Bulls should trade, Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon?

I say Gordon.

[fiveteamer]

beasleys mom has nice .

[Illusion]

Heat gets the steal of the draft

Being a huge Bulls fan I would have preferred Beasley myself. I hope Rose proves me wrong.

[gordon gekko]

Marion, Wade and Beasley the heat are going to be big contenders.

[SBR Lou]

He will, I've watched a lot of him, I wish the Knicks could have got him. I even forgave him for missing one of his FT's vs Kansas which ended up costing me in NCAA finals.

[jjgold]

Marion, Wade and Beasley the heat are going to be big contenders.

YES

[daggerkobe]

Being a huge Bulls fan I would have preferred Beasley myself. I hope Rose proves me wrong.

Holy cow, an intelligent Bulls fan. All I hear from other Bulls fans are that he'll be better than Chris Paul.

[Illusion]

Minnesota selects OJ Mayo third overall from USC.

[Illusion]

Holy cow, an intelligent Bulls fan. All I hear from other Bulls fans are that he'll be better than Chris Paul.

He very well could be. Beasley will be ready for the NBA come day one. Rose will probably need more time to develope.

[Panic]

That shocked me. I thought Minny would lean Bayliss or Gordon.

[daggerkobe]

Seattle probably gets Brook Lopez

[BadBeatBodog]

Heat gets the steal of the draft

The #2 overall pick cannot be the steal of the draft, sorry.

[Illusion]

Seattle selects Russell Westbrook from UCLA fourth overall.

[daggerkobe]

wow Westbrook??????? I'm a huge UCLA honk and this guy will be a B U S T!!!!!!!!

[daggerkobe]

The #2 overall pick cannot be the steal of the draft, sorry.

Jordan was a steal at #3.