NBA Draft 2018: Suns land Mikal Bridges at No. 10

Update: Later in the draft it was announced that the 76ers had traded this pick to the Phoenix Suns for Zhaire Smith (selected at No. 16) and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick via the Miami Heat.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania, the Sixers have agreed to send Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for No. 16 overall pick Zhaire Smith and the Miami Heat’s 2021 first-round pick. Smith measured a disappointing 6-foot-4 in shoes at the combine, but with otherworldly athleticism and a nearly 6-foot-10 wingspan, he should slot in immediately as a nightmarish defender. If his 3-point shot proves to be for real — he shot 18-of-40 from deep during his lone season at Texas Tech — the 19-year-old could be a critical long-term piece next to Markelle Fultz in the Sixers’ backcourt.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Villanova product Mikal Bridges with the No. 10 overall pick during the 2018 NBA draft, keeping him close to home.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Villanova wing Mikal Bridges with the No. 10 overall pick during the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday night, adding another 3-and-D wing to their budding young core.

Bridges steadily improved during his three seasons at Villanova, going from averaging 6.4 points, 1.1 steals and 0.6 triples as a freshman to 17.7 points, 1.5 steals and 2.6 triples as a junior. After shooting only 29.9 percent from deep during his first season with the Wildcats, he knocked down 43.5 percent of his 6.0 long-range attempts per game this past year.

As Duncan Smith of The Athletic shared, Bridges graded out well in virtually every play type on both ends of the floor as a junior, according to Synergy Sports.

Bridges isn’t much of a threat to create off the dribble, but he won’t have to be in Philadelphia. Flanked by ball-dominant weapons such as Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, the Sixers don’t need Bridges to be a takeover star. If he spaces the floor on offense and knocks down open 3-point attempts off Simmons drive-and-kicks, he’ll provide immense value right away.

Adding him to the Sixers third-ranked defense is even more of a cheat code. Standing 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Bridges can slot in opposite of Robert Covington and clog up passing lanes unabated. While Bridges doesn’t project as an elite isolation defender, having Simmons roaming as a free safety and Embiid as the team’s last line of defense will help negate the damage any time an opposing wing blows by him.

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Given the Boston Celtics’ endless supply of versatile wings, the Sixers needed to bolster their own group of 3-and-D counters. Bridges should add even more juice to the upcoming Atlantic Division holy war between the two longtime rivals.