The Philadelphia 76ers got lucky with their draft pick this year, winning a tiebreaker and ending up with the 16th overall pick.
While it is likely that the Sixers trade this pick for a proven player, there are still a handful of rookie prospects attached to Philadelphia. Tristan da Silva is one of those players. With a high floor and a game that could easily translate to the NBA level, da Silva seems like a player who could help the Sixers compete next year while still developing further.
Tristan da Silva is a 23-year-old forward who has spent the past four years playing and developing with the Colorado Buffalos. At 6’8″ and 216 pounds, da Silva has great length and size. Last season, he averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.3% from the field and 39.5% from beyond the arc.
He helped lead the Colorado Buffalos to the round of 32 in the March Madness Tournament, scoring 20 points against Boise State in the First Four and 17 points against Florida and Marquette. While the Buffs were unable to overcome second-seeded Marquette, da Silva still averaged 18.0 points in the NCAACB postseason.
Strengths
There is a lot to love about da Silva’s game. For starters, the German forward has an extremely reliable three-point shot, as evidenced by his 39.5% shooting on nearly five threes attempted per game. During his time at Colorado, his three-point percentage increased every year.
He also displayed great instincts all season long when it comes to understanding spacing and using screens to get open. In multiple games for the Buffalos this season, da Silva showcased an ability to both find open space on broken playsets as well as knock down tough shots off of screens.
On the other side, da Silva is a master of using his high basketball IQ to cause turnovers, disrupt plays, and force players to change their direction. His 6’8″ height, 6’10” length, and outstanding awareness helped him as a highly effective defender, especially off-ball. On-ball, he uses his body placement and his IQ to provide solid contests. While he is not the most physically explosive athlete, he has often made up for it with his brain.
Areas of Improvement
With Tristan, there are a few areas he needs to improve in. Da Silva isn’t the most athletic player on the court, and this sometimes causes issues when he needs to create his own shot. He doesn’t have the speed to blow by his defender and is someone who will be most effective when he gets to play off-ball and find space.
He also lacks the athleticism to regularly finish around the rim against bigger players, which could be an obstacle at the next level. At the next level, da Silva is more than likely going to play as a floor-spacing power forward. With the stronger, faster players in the NBA, his rebounding may struggle as well until he gets either stronger or faster.
On defense, there are concerns about bigger forwards simply posting up and backing down the forward to the basket. Now, with a guy like Joel Embiid patrolling the paint, the risk is mitigated greatly, yet not completely. Da Silva has also shown the ability to defend the perimeter, but there are still questions about his on-ball defense, especially against quicker players.
