Phoenix Suns’ Mikal Bridges Shoots Down Sixers Fan’s Recruiting
Read Time:2 Minute, 41 Second
The Philadelphia 76ers had themselves a solid draft pick during the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, the temporary front office didn’t trust its own process.
Brett Brown, who was the coach of the Sixers at the time, was issued front office duties as the Sixers suddenly parted ways with the infamous Bryan Colangelo after the 2017-2018 season concluded.
When the Sixers were on the board with the 10th overall pick of the 2018 Draft, they selected Villanova forward Mikal Bridges. It was a feel-good story, considering Bridges was born in Philadelphia and played hoops just outside the city for High School and college.
In addition, Bridges’ mom worked for the organization. However, Bridges’ time with the 76ers was short-lived. On draft night, Brown and the Sixers’ front office flipped Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in order to land Texas Tech forward Zhaire Smith and a future draft pick.
Years later, it’s clear the Sixers got the short end of the stick in that 2018 draft night trade. Smith didn’t pan out and lasted only two seasons in Philly, appearing in just 13 games. Meanwhile, Bridges turned into a full-time starter in Phoenix. He’s played in 309 games over four seasons and started in 35 playoff games.
Scroll to Continue
This past season, Bridges averaged a career-high of 14 points per game while knocking down 37-percent of his threes. In hindsight, Bridges is precisely the type of player the 76ers could use these days. Unfortunately for them, a reunion won’t be happening anytime soon.
Bridges remains a fan of all Philly sports (excluding the Sixers, probably). As he tweeted about the 76ers’ neighbor, the Philadelphia Phillies, a 76ers fan attempted to recruit Bridges via Twitter.
While Bridges was apologetic, he made it clear he’s happy in Phoenix and doesn’t want to go anywhere. Unless the Suns decide they want to move Bridges, he won’t be packing his bags anytime soon. The veteran wing inked a four-year extension back in October, worth $90 million. So, it’s safe to say he’ll be in Phoenix for a while.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
More Sixers News:
Reconsidering the All-NBA Format: After missing out on first-team All-NBA over the last two seasons despite being an NBA MVP finalist both times, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid’s snubs have led to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reconsidering the All-NBA voting format. Before the 2022 NBA Finals tipped off, Silver discussed the current format and acknowledged that Embiid’s spot as a second-team candidate could cause the league to re-think how the voting is done. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
The Latest on Star Trade Rumors: For months, there have been rumblings about multiple stars such as Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell potentially packing up and finding a new situation. As the 2022 offseason progresses, what are Beal and Donovan’s current plans according to insiders? CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0
