DRAFT DAY TALK!

[Lane1974]

let's use a new fresh thread for the draft (since we are supposed to lock threads when they get a certain size to keep the site running better, the old one might not last)

finally it's here, the Heat have the keys to the draft and seemingly many dominoes will be falling tonight

very exciting, be on your best behavior, and just report any trolls that will stop by with the "!" button on top of the post

ENJOY!

[miamiballer]

i will be pissed beyond belief if we dont leave this draft with brand or beasley

the worst deal out there is that stupid sonics deal...bayless and wilcox for beasley? give me a break,

Riley dont alienate yourself from the fans

[PitchBlue]

If we don't pick and keep Beasley, can I use the "!" button to report Pat Riley and anyone else responsible?

At least if one of these rumored trades would put us in a better position, I would feel better about the whole thing, but the majority of these supposed trade options are garbage. I mean, Chris Wilcox? C'mon man.

[miamiballer]

taking mayo at 2 and calling it a day would suck too

[miamiballer]

LOL can you imagine riley at a press conference

imagine we trade down for kevin love

i know kevin love's daddy for a long time. And I can tell you this, we drafted the Love family. Kevin will give us all he has, I promise you that. Ppl chanting beasley, beasley, beasley, beasley

Riley pauses: Let me put it to you this way, Kevin Love is a Miami Heat

BOOOOOOOOOO

[PitchBlue]

"we need our thumbs to go in THIS direction!"

[HeatSince88]

The Heat have given up hope that somehow Rose falls to them at No. 2. They've been working the phones for the past few days trying to find a deal that brings them back O.J. Mayo and some future cap relief (in particular, they're trying to move Mark Blount). As of Wednesday night, they hadn't found a partner.

If the Sonics, Clippers or Grizzlies can't step to the table, the Heat could take Beasley and trade him to Minnesota for Mayo and a draft pick. The Wolves own the Heat's 2009 first-round pick, and I'm sure Pat Riley would like it back.

But if they can't find a trade they like, the Heat will face a tough dilemma: Whether to grab the guy they want for Riley's system and philosophy (Mayo) or take the superior talent (Beasley).

My gut says that Riley will come to his senses and take Beasley at No. 2. No offense to Mayo, who's also a great talent, but Beasley is the right pick for Miami.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008 ... aft-080626

Supposedly, no deal in place yet. We might have to settle for Mayo and our 2009 1st rounder back from Minny (yawn). But he thinks we'll just take Beasley rather than a mediocre deal for him.

And that's the camp I'm in. Either pull off a trade that catapults us to immediate contender status (like a Big 3 of Wade/Marion/Brand) or just take Beasley and start looking into a Haslem deal to get a young PG or C.

[Rampage]

I have enough doubt about who will actually be picked or if a trade will happen that there will be genuine suspense when the pick is close to being announced.

[SA37]

This experience has been like a night where you go out and you get absolutely smashed and then wake up in the morning and realize you're not in your own bed or your own room.

You know enough to know the night was worth it, you just don't know if you're willing to ruin it all by turning over to look and see who is next to you.

That basically sums up my feelings right now.

[miamiballer]

my opinion of heat thinking right now:

option A is brand
option B is acquiring nice assets and one of lopez, love, bayless, mayo
option C is picking and keeping beasley

I dont think that they are considering taking mayo or bayless outright

They explored what minn and sea offered and think its garbage

Memphis has what it takes (conley and miller) but memphis is hesitant and heat wont settle, no deal

miami is offering mayo to LAC in a package deal for brand...LAC is considering it but in all likelihood, wont do it

that leaves miami to picking and keeping beasley and looking to move marion/haslem

[Lane1974]

a trade probably won't be announced until team B picks the player for us -- so for instance if there IS a deal with the Clippers, we won't know about it (most likely) until after they pick

jusst means we have to pay attention to each pick and each time Andy Katz breaks in

Chad Fraud is on Mike & Mike on ESPNews and he looks like that old Jim Carrey character from "In Living Color" Fire Marshall Bill

[Lane1974]

This experience has been like a night where you go out and you get absolutely smashed and then wake up in the morning and realize you're not in your own bed or your own room.

You know enough to know the night was worth it, you just don't know if you're willing to ruin it all by turning over to look and see who is next to you.

That basically sums up my feelings right now.

and then the memories slowly filter back, and you remember grabbing your best friend's wife's boobies after too much liquor while going out on Halloween to downtown Ft Lauderdale? ...perhaps I have said too much

[HeatInOhio]

I've never seen so many reports of a team trying so hard to give up the most talented player in the draft. Not only the most talented, but the guy who just had one of if not the best, freshman seasons in NCAA history. What the hell is going on? I have to wonder, is Dwyane putting some sort of ultimatum on Riles? Something like "I want the PG and I want it now." Is Riley actually in love w/ Beasley's game and is doing everything under the sun to try and convince the teams (most notably Chicago) that he doesn't want Beasley, hoping it might help them sway towards Rose?

Nothing else makes sense... unleash this is just some gigantic smokescreen to try and get some team to pull a mega-offer out of their snatch. But the types of deals we've been hearing... Beasley and Blount for Mayo and Wilcox? Beasley for Lowry, Miller and the #28? Uggg.... these are just piss poor type deals out there... Don't be an idiot Pat. You already got fleeced on the last trade so don't mess this thing up by trying to correct part of it (by unloading Blount). Stay put and take Beasley.

[SA37]

This experience has been like a night where you go out and you get absolutely smashed and then wake up in the morning and realize you're not in your own bed or your own room.

You know enough to know the night was worth it, you just don't know if you're willing to ruin it all by turning over to look and see who is next to you.

That basically sums up my feelings right now.

and then the memories slowly filter back, and you remember grabbing your best friend's wife's boobies after too much liquor while going out on Halloween to downtown Ft Lauderdale? ...perhaps I have said too much

I am guessing your friend and his wife don't frequent RealGM...

Edit: Actually, now that I thought about it, this is kind of how Riley operates. He makes moves that are fulfilling in the present but rarely have much hope for the future...

[pramis123]

My final wish list for the Draft:

1. Heat pick and KEEP Beasley!
2. Heat make trade to get another high lotto pick to get Mayo or Bayless or B. Lopez, using Marion as the trading chip.
3. Like other teams often do, Heat buy another 1st round pick in the mid teens to early 20's to select best available PG or Center, depending on what they do with prior pick (s).

Recap: If the Heat can walk away of this draft with Beasley, Bayless/Mayo, and a developmental Center such as R. Lopez (my pref. as his strength is defense and would completment Beasley) or the kid from Georgetown or the kid from Florida, that is an incredible night that would help offset the terrible season we just had.