- Shame for Makil Bridges. Drafted by the Sixers, the Great Valley product elated he will be staying home to play pro basketball, his mother, who works in the Human Resources office at the Sixers, weeping- and in an instant he is traded to Phoenix. Shouldn't someone had stopped his press conference? The Sixers organization had to know another deal was going down. Why allow Brifges pour his hear tout about how grateful and blessed he was to stay in Philly, all the while he was actually headed to Phoenix.
Bridges seemed to be the perfect fit for this 76er squad. Plays tough defense, can shoot, a local kid who is thrilled with staying with the local team. When Kevin Knox was taken by the Knicks at No. 9, just ahead of Philadelphia, it seemed all but certain that Bridges would fall into our laps. It was fate, destiny, it was meant to be.
Just like that, Bridges was sent to the Suns, who picked at No. 16 Zhaire Smith, a guard, and a No. 1 draft pick ) via Miami) in 2021. Yes, three years from now.
Isn't Bridges a better player than Smith? The 2021 pick is unprotected but who knows where it was fall. The best scenario is that Brett Brown, who made the final decision on the trade, since the Sixers are lacking a general manager, trades his new-found assets, plus maybe Markelle Fultz, for San Antonio's Kawi Leonard. Otherwise, to me, the deal is a bust.
There was a Bridges draft night viewing party in Exton, Pa. for fans of Bridges who followed him at Great Valley and Villanova. Imagine the jubilation when he was selected and the unbelievable despair when it was announced he really wasn't a Sixer.
At 26 the team took another guard named Landry Shamut. The big story was the Bridges drama. Bridges should have a real chip on his shoulder when the Suns come to town. The perfect selection doesn't make any sense unless there is another shoe about to drop. Brown will soon look like a genius or a dope.
With the draft over, it's time now to focus on free agency. If July turns out to be as surprising as June, it will be an interesting summer.
- The Phillies were off last night. Washington won, so they moved to 1/2 game ahead of the Phils for second place in NL East. The team sent down pitcher Jake Thompson, again proving how ridiculous their bullpen strategy is. Thompson won and saved games this week. yet he is being sent back to Lehigh Valley, the same guy Kapler trusted late in games?
So far, this confusion, for the most part, is working. Sooner or later Kapler will get burned badly from not having a true closer and set-guy with defined roles.
- The club starts a weekend series with the Nationals in D.C. tonight. Luckily, the Phillies will avoid Max Scherzer, who pitched yesterday vs the Orioles.Eflin, Nola and Pivetta pitch this weekend in Washington.
- The Flyers' schedule was released yesterday. They start on the road again, playing the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalance.. In fact, they face Vegas two times in the early-going, including a Saturday afternoon tilt in October.
I'm eyeing Saturday afternoon, November 17 vs Tampa Bay as my annual Flyers game. Maybe the Sixers will play at night, as they did last year, and we can make it a doubleheader?
No comments:
Post a Comment