The Philadelphia 76ers had the 10th pick in the 2018 NBA draft and were looking to build off a very successful 2017-18 season when they reached the second round of the playoffs led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Sixers were looking to add to their young core.
With the 10th pick, they selected Mikal Bridges out of Villanova. The pick was viewed as a no-brainer. Bridges was the 3-and-D wing the team needed. He was a local product, and his mother worked for the organization. It was an easy choice to make.
However, the Sixers then sent Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for the 16th pick which turned out to be Zhaire Smith. Since then, Bridges has been a solid player in this league, helping the Suns make the finals in 2021. He is averaging 27.5 points for the Brooklyn Nets since coming to the team in a trade just before this season’s deadline. In contrast, Smith played 13 games in the league.
Bridges’ teammate at Villanova, Kris Jenkins who is famous for his game-winning shot in the 2016 national championship to beat North Carolina, took to Twitter to call the Sixers out about the Bridges trade.
Wonder if the sixers still happy they traded my brother on draft night….. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 bozos
— Kris Jenkins (@Smoove2you_) April 2, 2023
If the playoffs began today, the Sixers would face Bridges and the Nets in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia is in a great position to contend for a title led by Embiid and James Harden, but having a guy like Bridges on the roster would have been a big help.
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