PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Entering the 2024 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers are in win-now mode with which they hope to surround Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey enough talent to compete for the NBA Finals next season.
Sixers’ president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will have two picks at the draft — No. 16 overall just outside the lottery and No. 40 overall in the second round via the Jaden Springer trade to the Boston Celtics.
Morey might not use his first-round pick Wednesday night. As he did in his previous drafts with the Sixers, he could trade that pick to acquire a veteran who can contribute and help the team now instead of a player who will likely need time to develop.
But if the Sixers draft a player at the 16th spot, these are five players to keep an eye on:
Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham
Rob Dillingham is not an ideal fit next to Maxey; both are on the small side for the position. But Dillingham would provide Philadelphia with a much-needed spark off the bench on a cheaper, cost-controlled contract.
In his first year at Kentucky, Dillingham played in 32 games, earned SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors and led all of Division I with 474 points off the bench. He also earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team.
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Dillingham, who stands at 6-foot-1, averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and shot 44.4% on 3-pointers in his lone season at Kentucky.
Isaiah Collier, USC guard
If the Sixers are looking for more backcourt reinforcement, they could turn to University of Southern California guard Isaiah Collier.
Collier, with whom he was teammates Bronny James at USCwas ranked as the No. 1 high school player in the country in 2023.
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Collier battled a hand injury last season but played 27 games for the Trojans, including 26 starts. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 16.3 points per game to lead all Pac-12 freshmen, earning him a spot on the 2023-24 Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
Jared McCain, Duke guard
One of the skills players besides Embiid and Maxey need is shooting, and Duke guard Jared McCain fits that bill perfectly.
McCain, a 6-foot-1 guard, played and started in 36 games for the Blue Devils and shot 41.4% on three-pointers.
McCain is considered one of the best shooters in the entire draft by draft analysts, even ranking in the 95th percentile in catch-and-shoot situations when guarded, according to Synergy Sports.
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In 36 games as a freshman at Duke, McCain averaged 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
Tristan da Silva, Colorado forward
With the Sixers needing immediate help on their roster, Colorado forward Tristan da Silva could be their man at No. 16 overall.
Da Silva played four years at the University of Colorado, three as a starter, and has a well-rounded game.
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Da Silva, a native of Germany, was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection at Colorado and can shoot from deep. He improved his three-point percentage every year at Colorado, finishing his senior season shooting 39.5% on three-pointers on nearly five attempts.
In his senior season, da Silva averaged 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Kyle Filipowski, Duke forward
Kyle Filipowski spent the past two seasons in Durham, North Carolina, with Duke as the focal point of the team’s offense.
At 6-foot-1, Filipowski should be able to stretch the floor in the NBA. He averaged 16.4 points and shot 50.5 percent from the field as a sophomore, including 34.8 percent on three-pointers.
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Filipowski was also an avid rebounder at Duke, leading the team with an average of 8.3 per game.
CBS Sports mentioned Filipowski’s pro comparison as former 76er forward Dario Saric.
