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Balls Bounce Bulls' Way

By Benjy Lipsman in News on May 21, 2008 5:44PM

2008_05_draft_lottery.jpgThe Bulls hit the jackpot on Tuesday night, winning the NBA Draft lottery!

The Bulls faced long odds to land one of the top three picks. With the ninth worst record of 14 teams who missed the playoffs this past season, they had a 1.7 percent chance of landing the first overall pick. Bulls' VP of Business Operations Steve Schanwald -- who likely drew the short straw in the Bulls executive offices -- became the man of the hour as the team's representative in Secaucus, NJ.

With the first overall pick, the initial discussions center on Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley and Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. Nearly all the experts agree those two will be the first two off the board, but in which order?

Which one better helps the Bulls? Beasley provides the size and post scoring the Bulls have so desperately needed over the past few years. But there are some questions about his work ethic... leading to whispers he could be the next Derrick Coleman.

Local boy Rose is a talented point guard who has drawn comparisons to Deron Williams and Chris Paul. With an increasing emphasis on the point in the league, do the Bulls grab the guy who's perhaps the next great one, even if that means trading the current team captain?

Regardless, John Paxson's busy off-season just got a whole lot busier. Landing the top pick affords him the luxury to retool the roster in ways he might have only dreamed about hours earlier. If he takes either of the projected top two, some current players will need to be shipped out.

Paxson also has the opportunity to try and package the pick to land a true superstar. With rumors of the Nets offering their pick and Richard Jefferson to Denver for Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby, could the Bulls outbid NJ? Word is that Tracey McGrady and Dirk Nowitski might be available. Pax missed out on the opportunities to land KG or Kobe last year. Now he's got even more chips on the table. Will he decide that a veteran superstar is the final piece of the puzzle? Given the Bulls luck with Top 5 picks in recent years -- Marcus Fizer, Jay Williams, Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Tyrus Thomas -- maybe they're better off with a proven talent.

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun