If Miami keeps the pick, Mayo seems like a smarter bet. He can handle the ball and play point if needed, and he would be a splendid match with Dwyane Wade. Riley coached Magic Johnson, and even though Magic was a polished product by the time Riley took over the Lakers during the 1981-82 season, the experience helped the coach establish a standard for point guards that will only help when trying to develop Mayo.

Mayo suffers from acute scrutiny, since his exploits on and off the court since he was a youngster have been magnified. But he is one of those poised and polished performers who can step into the lineup and contribute fairly quickly. And he will only improve.

But remember that Riley is at poolside, sipping his drink. He’s not so much stressing about which player to take as he is savoring the power he currently has as draft gatekeeper.

Many teams would love to get Beasley. Riley could swing a deal similar to the ones that revitalized the Lakers and Celtics for the past season by swapping the rights to the tantalizing rookie forward for the kind of veteran player or players that will accelerate the rebuilding process. He could also draft Beasley or Mayo or someone else, keep that player, and then work out a trade to send Shawn Marion somewhere for an experienced player and perhaps a high draft pick in this draft.

Special feature NBA Draft: First picks If history has taught us anything, Michael Beasley will be selected first

Riley fancies himself an NBA flim-flam man in much the same way his former teammate Jerry West was during his years as general manager of the Lakers. Riley allowed the Heat to become spectacularly bad last season, and the season before — as defending champs — Miami was swept by Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. He did deserve some Executive of the Year love for finding a sucker to take Shaquille O’Neal.

This might be his biggest challenge yet. As head coach in Los Angeles, he inherited a team loaded with talent and directed it to four championships. In New York, he adapted to the Knicks’ muscle-bound roster and led the club to a Finals appearance in ’94. He helped bring the first NBA crown to the city of Miami.

But now he is 63, has stepped down from and stepped into different jobs often enough to develop plantar fasciitis, and oversees a team with an unstable foundation. What he does on Thursday will not only determine the course of his own team’s future, it will chart courses for other franchises as well.

And he’s loving every minute of it.

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