The NBA Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday and the Chicago Bulls hit the jackpot. Going in with a 1.7% chance of winning, they beat the odds and will pick first at the upcoming draft on June 26th. Once the draft order was announced, the debate began. Who are the Bulls going to take with the first selection? Clearly, it is a two horse race. The Bulls will have their choice between Memphis point guard Derrick Rose and Kansas State forward Michael Beasley.

While most “experts” are tabbing Beasley for the pick, I disagree. It is true that the Bulls lack an inside scoring presence and he would fill that void, but I see the Chicago native, Rose being a perfect fit. At 6′4″ 200 lbs, Rose has an NBA ready body. He is a tenacious defender with excellent quickness and leaping ability. In a league where point guards can come in immediately and make an impact (Chris Paul, Deron Williams, etc.) it would be a mistake to pass him up. Recently, New York Knicks head coach, Mike D’Antoni referred to Rose as “Jason Kidd with a jump shot.” D’Antoni happens to know a bit about point guards having coached Steve Nash the past four seasons.

Now, this is not to say that Michael Beasley is the next Sam Bowie. It is rare to find a 6′9″ power forward with his shooting range and rebounding ability. However, there are some serious character concerns with Beasley. He had some off the court issues as a high schooler and has been accused of being immature for his age. When a franchise is investing tens of millions of dollars in a player, they cannot afford to make a mistake on someone that will bring negative attention to the organization.

On top of the character concerns, the Bulls have already invested high first round picks in front court players Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. The last thing Chicago needs is another forward. Memo to Bulls General Manager John Paxson: pick Derrick Rose, trade Kirk Hinrich for a scorer, and hire Avery Johnson to fill your vacant head coaching position. Follow these three steps, and you’ll be back in the playoffs in 2009.