Michigan State’s Miles Bridges could fill the Miami Heat big man void in the upcoming NBA draft.
Middle ground in the NBA can often be painted as purgatory to the masses. For some franchises and their fans, there is nothing worse than being just good enough to make (or miss) the first round of the playoffs. Hence why there were so many calls for the Miami Heat to tank for a top five pick, knowing that no deep runs or championships were in the mix.
Hate it or love it, basketball often revolves around a win or rebuild world. And hate it or love it, Dion Waiters is playing himself into a monster contract while playing the Heat into limbo.
Kudos to the organization for ducking calls to throw games, but losing four games out of the last 24 to teams who are a combined 44 wins under .500 puts the playoffs in jeopardy. Mainly because there is no margin of error, due to the difference between sixth place and 11th only being four games.
Perhaps this is why–as of last week–ESPN’s Chad Ford still had the Heat missing the postseason and securing a pretty good consolation prize at No. 13:
"Most likely pick: Miles Bridges | F | Fr. | Michigan State“The Heat would love to add a potential star like [Lonzo] Ball or [Markelle] Fultz to the mix, but if they can’t, some scouts feel Bridges is the most underrated player in this class.He’s strong, athletic and versatile with the ability to rebound and shoot the 3. He’d be a great long-term fit in Miami.”"
Miami’s worst kept secret is that they need a power forward better equipped to fill Luke Babbit’s role as the shooter who spreads the floor so that Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and others can utilize the lane. With free agency options likely to be low, Michigan State’s Miles Bridges could be a worthy fit. In part because his versatility on offense and defense would allows him to work well with Justise Winslow.
Both men are in the 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7 range, but Bridges’ strength and length would allow him to bang with NBA power forwards. His ability to knock down assisted two-point jumpers at a 44 percent clip and stretch his game out to the three-point line–where he shoots 41 percent on 4.9 attempts per game–would allow Winslow to maneuver in a restricted area where he shoots his best at 47 percent.
It doesn’t hurt that Bridges is also solid on the boards with 8.3 per game and a willing passer averaging 2.0 assists. Not to mention that his aggression and knack for running the floor, like a graceful bull, has garnered him early comparisons to a young, left-handed Charles Barkley.
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Only time will tell if Bridges becomes as good as expected, but a successful NCCA tournament could see the Big Ten Freshman on the Year move out of Miami’s range. Unless the league’s elite continues to lose to the teams clustered around the Heat. Leaving the team to miss out on the playoffs, but not on their potential forward of the future.