Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Mikal Bridges’ rookie season
4. Average 9 points per game
Among all rookies who played at least 45 games last year, 16 of them were able to average at least nine points per game. As the 10th overall pick who’s labeled as an NBA-ready prospect, Bridges should be able to join that group in this year’s draft class — even on a Suns roster that has more wings than a Buffalo Wild Wings.
Though he’ll most likely spend the majority of the year coming off the bench, Bridges’ particular skill-set is what the Suns need on both ends of the floor. If he can shoot the ball well from 3-point range and switch between 2-3 positions on the other end, he’ll make it hard for head coach Igor Kokoskov to leave him on the bench.
De’Anthony Melton, Mikal Bridges, Josh Jackson, and Trevor Ariza are the exact type of two-way players you surround Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton with for them to thrive. Melton was the No. 13 player on my board.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 31, 2018
Doing so would give him the opportunity to prove his 17.7 points per game as a junior were early indicators of a dependable NBA scorer.
However, one thing that happened from time to time in college — and especially in NBA Summer League, when he put up 14 points in his debut and then only scored 17 over his next four games — was Bridges simply disappeared.
If he’s able to average around 9-10 points per game in limited minutes, it means he’s learning to be a consistent contributor, rather than slipping into the more passive mindset that reared its ugly head on occasion.