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2018 Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: Mikal Bridges, the veteran leader

By Philip Rossman-Reich

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 29: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during a game against the Penn Quakers at The Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on November 29, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Villanova defeated Penn 82-57. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 29: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during a game against the Penn Quakers at The Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on November 29, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Villanova defeated Penn 82-57. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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The Bad

It did take Mikal Bridges a long time to find his role. That development is not necessarily a bad thing. It is that he is so much closer to his ceiling that has most teams slotting him comfortably near the 10th pick and not much higher than that.

Bridges does not project to be much more than a role player. A 3-and-D-plus player and a guy who can score in bunches is not an every-night All-Star. That is not what a team like the Orlando Magic are looking for at this part of the Draft.

He would fit in perfectly with some of the contending teams near the top of the draft like the Cleveland Cavaliers or Philadelphia 76ers. But it is hard to see him busting out and being more. And that is fine. That does not take away from his game. But it limits his projection at the next level.

Bridges even in his stellar junior year, he was not always the guy with the ball in his hands. He often found himself a passive participant in the offense. That was partially by design.

He works better off the ball. But Bridges did not take over games with his presence. He took over games by burning defenses for sucking into Villanova’s other weapons — like point guard Jalen Brunson and wing player Donte DiVincenzo.

Bridges is the kind of player that will make teams pay for leaving him open rather than the one to get others open and be the generator and driver of an offense.

No one should draft him expecting to put him on the ball and be a go-to scorer. That is just not in his DNA. He is a spot-up shooter and capable wing. Think Evan Fournier with a bit more athleticism and much better defense.

That inevitably puts a ceiling on his potential. It does not take away from what he can do in the end. But it limits what a team can expect from him when he arrives.