NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 16: Lonzo Ball to the Lakers

The Portland Trail Blazers own three first round picks in the 2017 draft meaning they’ll have several opportunities to pick up rotation players come June, but their first pick will be their most likely chance at landing a really impactful piece.

Michigan State’s Miles Bridges is a high upside combo forward who has the potential to be a mismatch offensively and a versatile defender. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Bridges has the ability to play power forward. His athleticism makes him a dangerous cutter in transition or in the halfcourt. He regularly throws down highlight reel dunks. The key, though, to Bridges’ offense is his outside shooting. So far, he’s made better than 40 percent of his 3s in college, which helps open up his driving game and allows him to more easily beat close outs. Bridges’ poor free throw shooting yields some questions about how sustainable that shooting may be. If it slips, his ability to be a mismatch shrinks.

Defensively, Bridges lacks the length to be a Draymond Green type defender, but he does still offer a decent amount of weak side rim protection because of his athleticism. He’s averaging 2.1 blocks per 40 minutes this season. Ideally, Bridges will still be a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions at the the next level even if he can’t handle the biggest players on the court.

Learn more about Miles Bridges at The Step Back.