After a series of free agent signings and a blockbuster trade, the Carolina Hurricanes now have a very clear and present priority: signing their franchise player.

Eric Staal has one year remaining on his contract, and the Canes would (make that need) to ensure that he’s not going anywhere else any time soon.

“That would probably be on top of our list (of priorities) at any time,” says Hurricanes President and General Manager Jim Rutherford.

Staal is the Canes’ best player. You can argue for Rod Brind’Amour, but Staal is more than a decade younger. And locking your best player down with a long-term contract, especially when that player is still only twenty-three years old, is as close to a no-brainer as a decision can be.

“We know he’s our franchise player,” says Rutherford. “We want to do what’s right for him and what’s right for us.

But now it’s even

Give Jim Rutherford credit, he’s never afraid to make a bold move.

In trading Erik Cole, Rutherford cuts ties with one of the most recognized – and popular – faces of the franchise.

And yet, it makes sense.

You didn’t have to be an NHL GM last season to see that Carolina needed help on defense. A lot of help…

Joni Pitkanen may not be as familiar to Raleigh as Erik Cole, but he’s a quality defenseman who can jump in on the offensive side as well. And those guys don’t come cheap.

Moreover, the Canes had an overflow of forwards and a dearth of defensemen. An offense-for-defense trade was imminent. To get quality, you have to give up quality. And in this case, to get Pitkanen the Canes had to give up Cole.

There’s no guarantee Cole would have stuck around past this season, either. With only one year left on his contract, there is a real possibility Cole could have left

“With the ninth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select D.J. Augustin from the University of Texas.”

The last time I checked, the Bobcats already have a lot of money invested in a point guard. Maybe you’ve heard of him? Raymond Felton. I’m not sure what logic was used in making this pick. Do you move Felton over to shooting guard and Augustin run the point? Or vice versa? Maybe Augustin is a back up? Or maybe Raymond Felton’s days are numbered in Charlotte.

So after I get over the shock of that pick, with the 20th overall pick the Bobcats choose 7’1” Center Alexis Ajinca from France. He averaged a mind boggling 5 points, 6 rebounds in the French Pro A League. I would like to think if I were 7 feet tall that I could stumble into at least 7-8 boards a game. He is wowing me for the wrong reason

As the first round is ending I’m looking at the draft board and this is what I would have

David West gets it.

We caught up with the New Orleans Hornets forward in his hometown of Garner, where he was serving as guest speaker at the Donald Williams Baksetball Academy.

Surrounded by basketball-savvy kids, West took time to sign every autograph and shake every hand. Sure, it’s a small gesture. But at a time when athletes seem to make as many headlines off the court as they do on, to see a guy like West not only spending time with kids but actually enjoying it… is very refreshing.

“I made a promise to myself that I was ever fortunate enough to make it in the NBA,” West said. “I would always find time to spend with these kids – especially the kids in this area (Garner)”

One of my favorite moments came when one kid asked West: "Was it hard guarding Tim Duncan?" West smiled, looked him in the eye and said (laughing a bit): "Yes, yes it was!"

No, he’s not solving

Derrick Rose, and not Michael Beasley, should be the number one pick in the draft Thursday night…not because he is the better player, though he just might be, but because he plays the more important position.

Each of the college game’s biggest superstars has their strengths, and their lesser strengths. The word “weakness” doesn’t appear on their scouting reports – at least not that often.

Beasley is as strong as a power forward, moves like a wing and shoots like a two.

Rose is too strong to be defended by guards, and too fast to be guarded by anyone else.

Beasley would have been the National Player of the Year if it wasn’t for the media’s obsession with Tyler Hansbrough. Rose would have a National Championship ring if it wasn’t for Mario Chalmers.

Two of the best point guards in the game today are Utah’s Deron Williams and New Orleans’ Chris Paul. Derrick Rose has