Bridges Development

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
so I keep seeing people post that “we got a good one” with Bridges. And I’m wondering on what basis people are making that judgment.

Now understand. I liked drafting him. And I’m optimistic about him. And he’s shown flashes. But it seems his draft slot, two good games and some occasional flash plays have built an inflated reputation.

Here’s who he is right now (on almost 23 mins/game):

- Willing and effort defender
- 7pts
- 2 rebs
- 1 assist1 turnover
- 1.5 steals
- 41% FG 32% 3pt

Other than the defense and flashes he really hasn’t shown much to earn the lofty rep he seems to carry on this board. He may (and I think will) reach it eventually, but he really hasn’t shown it with even a minimal amount of consistency at this juncture.
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
so I keep seeing people post that “we got a good one” with Bridges. And I’m wondering on what basis people are making that judgment.

Now understand. I liked drafting him. And I’m optimistic about him. And he’s shown flashes. But it seems his draft slot, two good games and some occasional flash plays have built an inflated reputation.

Here’s who he is right now (on almost 23 mins/game):

- Willing and effort defender
- 7pts
- 2 rebs
- 1 assist1 turnover
- 1.5 steals
- 41% FG 32% 3pt

Other than the defense and flashes he really hasn’t shown much to earn the lofty rep he seems to carry on this board. He may (and I think will) reach it eventually, but he really hasn’t shown it with even a minimal amount of consistency at this juncture.

Wrong.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/12/7/18129516/josh-jackson-mikal-bridges-suns-shooting

The ringer just did a write up yesterday on Bridges and how good he's been and the impact he makes on the team when he's out there and what a disaster it is when he's not in the game.

It's a good read.
 

1Sun

ASFN Addict
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Posts
8,750
Reaction score
1,129
Location
Chandler, AZ
100% on Igor Kokoskov. He is incapable of developing anyone.
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
A large part of our excitement about Bridges is his defense.

I hope that, when we get a Power Forward, Warren (if he is still with us) goes back to Small Forward and Bridges is brought along slowly.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,538
Reaction score
51,772
For me it's not specifically about Bridges but more if the Suns could have traded up for Shai. I didn't feel the Suns needed another wing.

Giving up the Miami pick to obtain a small forward didn't excite me. Theoretically the Suns could have traded the #16 pick for a future first rounder and added it to the Miami pick and Bucks pick for a major upgrade to their roster without using any of their draft picks.

I think a lot of fans who are excited about Bridges watched him in college. For some reason he was not on my radar at least not using the Miami pick.

I hope he lives up to expectations but he will be 23 in August. My thought was the Suns drafted him because he wouldn't have to be brought along slowly. As a senior he was considered to be NBA ready. I'd like to see more flashes that he will be special.

Here are some recent ESPN stats.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3147657
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
For me it's not specifically about Bridges but more if the Suns could have traded up for Shai. I didn't feel the Suns needed another wing.

Giving up the Miami pick to obtain a small forward didn't excite me. Theoretically the Suns could have traded the #16 pick for a future first rounder and added it to the Miami pick and Bucks pick for a major upgrade to their roster without using any of their draft picks.

I think a lot of fans who are excited about Bridges watched him in college. For some reason he was not on my radar at least not using the Miami pick.

I hope he lives up to expectations but he will be 23 in August. My thought was the Suns drafted him because he wouldn't have to be brought along slowly. As a senior he was considered to be NBA ready. I'd like to see more flashes that he will be special.

Here are some recent ESPN stats.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3147657

That's all would of coulda stuff. You don't know we could of done any of that.

I would of been happy with SAG to but we didn't draft him we drafted Bridges and so far Bridges looks really good. He needs to add weight he's rail thin but the skills are there
 

CardsSunsDbacks

Not So Skeptical
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Posts
9,899
Reaction score
6,108
That's all would of coulda stuff. You don't know we could of done any of that.

I would of been happy with SAG to but we didn't draft him we drafted Bridges and so far Bridges looks really good. He needs to add weight he's rail thin but the skills are there
I always believe you draft for talent over need. If it was felt that Bridges was a better prospect than SGA than they made the right move at the time. Where they messed up was not making any trades or free agent moves to fill in the holes in the roster.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,538
Reaction score
51,772
That's all would of coulda stuff. You don't know we could of done any of that.

I would of been happy with SAG to but we didn't draft him we drafted Bridges and so far Bridges looks really good. He needs to add weight he's rail thin but the skills are there

The bottom line, I wouldn't have used the Miami pick to trade for Bridges with the Suns need at point guard and power forward.

That's why I said for me, it isn't specifically about Bridges.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
What I like about Bridges is he's Booker insurance, of sorts. Once we get a real PF and move TJ back to SF, Bridges can be our 6th man coming in to spell Booker or Warren and with the injury history those 2 have, Bridges will have plenty of opportunity to play more than just a 6th man role. We need a good player to back those 2 up since they'll each probably miss 10 or more games a year going forward. Bridges definitely fills that hole. He's not the scorer Booker is, or Warren, but he's a good shooter that can drain 3's, play solid defense and plays really hard on both sides of the ball, regardless of the score.
 

Western Font

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Posts
2,968
Reaction score
3,322
Location
Downtown
In context, I just think a lot of fans are seeing maturity, fundamentals, talent, and youth out of Bridges at a time when most other spots on the roster show pronounced weakness in one or more
of those areas.
 
OP
OP
Ouchie-Z-Clown

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,555
I’ll read the article for sure. But I posted statistics. Those aren’t “wrong.”

Yeah, his stats aren't impressive by any means. He gets muscled around often and I don't think he quite has the strength to be a real threat from the NBA 3 point line. But compared to the others we've put out there, he's clearly making us better while he's on the court. It's like with Channing Frye, most everyone here hated him for what he couldn't do but just his presence on the court made our stars much better. And like Bridges, his on court/off court impact was considerable.
 
OP
OP
Ouchie-Z-Clown

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
Yeah, his stats aren't impressive by any means. He gets muscled around often and I don't think he quite has the strength to be a real threat from the NBA 3 point line. But compared to the others we've put out there, he's clearly making us better while he's on the court. It's like with Channing Frye, most everyone here hated him for what he couldn't do but just his presence on the court made our stars much better. And like Bridges, his on court/off court impact was considerable.
I can’t argue with this.
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
I’ll read the article for sure. But I posted statistics. Those aren’t “wrong.”

Those are black and white. The article pretty much goes into his impact when he's on the court and how he creates space and makes everyone better. They go into advanced stats and all that showing how great he is and how well the Suns play when he's out there and how it's the exact opposite when Josh Jackson plays.
 
OP
OP
Ouchie-Z-Clown

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
Those are black and white. The article pretty much goes into his impact when he's on the court and how he creates space and makes everyone better. They go into advanced stats and all that showing how great he is and how well the Suns play when he's out there and how it's the exact opposite when Josh Jackson plays.
Actually it doesn’t really go into depth about how great he is. What it really does, primarily, is contrast him and JJ. The truth is if his 31% 3pt percentage doesn’t improve all the good he does as a spacer will evaporate because no one will honor it. He creates the space at present based more on reputation than having earned it with his shooting. Guys that shoot less than 33% from 3 and play good D and pretty plentiful in this league.
 
OP
OP
Ouchie-Z-Clown

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
Those are black and white. The article pretty much goes into his impact when he's on the court and how he creates space and makes everyone better. They go into advanced stats and all that showing how great he is and how well the Suns play when he's out there and how it's the exact opposite when Josh Jackson plays.
Also, “black and white” still isn’t “wrong.”
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
Also, “black and white” still isn’t “wrong.”

Ok yes his impact is 7 points a game. Forget analytics and advanced stats welcome to 1998 however I'll be here in 2018 when you'd like to join us and the rest of the NBA let us know.
 

Bufalay

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Posts
4,643
Reaction score
735
He does lots of stuff pretty well and doesn’t do massively dumb stuff like Jackson, Chriss and Bender (and maybe Ayton). I should say that Ayton does very difficult things often enough to outweigh the occasional dumb stuff.
 

1Sun

ASFN Addict
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Posts
8,750
Reaction score
1,129
Location
Chandler, AZ
He does lots of stuff pretty well and doesn’t do massively dumb stuff like Jackson, Chriss and Bender (and maybe Ayton). I should say that Ayton does very difficult things often enough to outweigh the occasional dumb stuff.

The team (Jackson, Bender and Ayton included) would play a lot smarter with a smarter coach...
 

Bufalay

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Posts
4,643
Reaction score
735
The team (Jackson, Bender and Ayton included) would play a lot smarter with a smarter coach...

I agree. But you said that like 100 times already. I’m pretty sure most of the board is now ignoring you because of that.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
One thing about Bridges stats at this point, primarily his averages, is they will be a little bit lower than they should be since Igor subbed him in for the final 20 seconds against the Mavericks. As he plays more games that will matter less but with the season being in its 2nd full month, that will make them lower than they should be. It may only cause him to average a single point less a game right now but it's not helping him look more productive overall. Ill need to look up to see if that was the only time he was subbed in and not able to produce any stats but it wouldn't surprise me if he had another game like that.
 
OP
OP
Ouchie-Z-Clown

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
One thing about Bridges stats at this point, primarily his averages, is they will be a little bit lower than they should be since Igor subbed him in for the final 20 seconds against the Mavericks. As he plays more games that will matter less but with the season being in its 2nd full month, that will make them lower than they should be. It may only cause him to average a single point less a game right now but it's not helping him look more productive overall. Ill need to look up to see if that was the only time he was subbed in and not able to produce any stats but it wouldn't surprise me if he had another game like that.
Uh his scoring goes from 7.4 per game to 7.7 per game if you remove that game. Not much of a needle mover.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
Uh his scoring goes from 7.4 per game to 7.7 per game if you remove that game. Not much of a needle mover.

Ok, I was curious what the difference was and don't have access to look up his stats at the moment. I even said that it would be a small difference but wasn't sure how small. Now that he's played in 24 or 25 games though it won't matter nearly as much if someone wanted to say his stats were low after 8 or 9 games.
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
20,163
Reaction score
9,606
Location
Laveen, AZ
My son and I were debating about shai gilgeous-alexander over Bridges had the Suns gone that direction. Most people like Bridges, as I do, too. However, watching that young PG, I can't help but wonder if that wouldn't have been a better move for us?
 
Top