Michigan State’s five-star splash Miles Bridges
Instead of getting Ben McLemore in a trade potentially, the Bulls could potentially draft someone like him who plays bigger and stronger, plus the ability to shoot from deep. The 2017 draft looks really deep for one-and-done prospects, whose skills may be NBA-level ready after a year in college.
Miles Bridges is more like Washington Wizards wing Kelly Oubre Jr. than McLemore. He’s a long, tall, strong and explosive athlete at 6’7″, 230 pounds. Bridges may be a one-and-done prospect in the draft next year. He is currently projected in the lower twenties of the 2017 Draft Express Mock Draft, which allows us to look at him as a possible pick for the Bulls own 2017 choice in the first round (pending on how things play out with the “Three Alphas” this season).
A match-up nightmare, Bridges can guard three positions and is strong enough to pound it inside and score against contact. He’s a slasher-scorer who loves to pound it inside and outmuscle everybody. Someone like Bridges could be groomed to play the two-guard position off the bat if he is still available as a steal in the late first round. He looks to rocket up the mock draft standings by June but since he is ranked well within range this early, I marked him as a legitimate option for the Bulls.