Three reasons to love the draft for the Phoenix Suns

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 21: Mikal Bridges poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Phoenix Suns during the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Phoenix Suns traded for Mikal Bridges

When it was announced that the Suns had traded up to the tenth overall pick to select Mikal Bridges, Suns fans felt both a giant sense of both relief that Phoenix had made a splashy trade, coupled with bewilderment that the Heat’s 2021 unprotected pick had been used to move up only six spots.

That being said, Mikal Bridges looks to be a really good player, and as a 3 and D small forward, is the only one of his kind on the roster. (I did the math on Valley of the Suns Live! tonight, and if you added up T.J. Warren and Josh Jackson‘s 3-point percentages, they equal only 5% more than what Bridges shot last season at Villanova.)

Phoenix Suns /

Phoenix Suns

But there is one particular key to the trading of Bridges that can not be overlooked: he will be 22-years-old at the start of the season. As a rookie he will be older than Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, Dragan Bender, and Marquese Chriss. While still young, he will actually almost be considered a veteran in terms of age, and isn’t another 19-year-old that needed several years to grow into his body let alone learn the NBA game. He should be able to make an impact right away, and may even have the opportunity to start for the Suns at some point (and I don’t mean start out of necessity like Chriss did, but actually earn the job on results), giving the Suns a plethora of options at the three and four spots this year.

One of the keys to this summer’s phase of the Suns’ continued re-build has been to acquire players that are a bit older and can help add maturity to the roster while the young Suns grow. And while Bridges isn’t a veteran with a number of NBA years under his belt, he does have three seasons of college basketball experience and two National Championship runs under his belt, the latter of which he was one of the stars.

In reality, he has more experience winning than all of the aforementioned young Suns, combined.

It is easy to wonder and worry about what the 2021 Miami Heat pick might be, but it should be worth getting very excited about who Mikal Bridges is, and what he will bring to the Phoenix Suns beginning this next season.

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