1 NBA Draft prospect every current lottery team should highlight
4. Charlotte Hornets — Isaiah Collier, USC
Isaiah Collier has seen his stock dip in recent weeks, but the USC point guard is too unique an athlete to ignore. Listed at 6-foot-5 and built like a tank, Collier's penchant for rim pressure and crafty finishes warrants investment. He can create space with twitch and strength, able to bulldoze or tap-dance his way to points around the basket.
It's not always so elegant with Collier, of course. He has a mild turnover problem (3.6 to 4.1 assists) and his 3-point percentage (31.3) isn't great. Defenses will cede the perimeter to Collier and load up the paint, especially if he's asked to operate as the primary ball-handler. And, despite plenty of evident vision working out of pick-and-rolls, Collier isn't the most reactive passer. He tends to get into jams when confronted with multiple defenders and his decision-making can lag behind.
That's why Charlotte is the perfect fit. Collier would have the luxury of playing off of LaMelo Ball, a quick-trigger setup man who encourages a fast tempo and pulls defenses toward the 3-point line. Collier would be well suited to attacking seams in the defense and providing Charlotte with much-needed rim pressure, especially after the Terry Rozier trade.
3. San Antonio Spurs — Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Rob Dillingham has been one of the pleasant surprises of the college basketball season. Initially billed as a fun-but-flawed volume shooter, Dillingham has been Kentucky's most valuable on-ball creator. Not only can Dillingham score in bunches from all over the court, but he's a visionary passer who is far less mistake-prone (3.9 assists to 1.9 turnovers) than his previous Overtime Elite tape suggested.
There are natural concerns about Dillingham's slender 6-foot-1 frame. He's a playmaker on defense for Kentucky, but NBA offenses will target him relentlessly and test his mettle on-ball. Dillingham hasn't been the most efficient finisher around the rim either. He's at his best dancing into mid-range pull-ups or using his downhill speed to generate open looks for teammates. Still, Dillingham is a surprisingly polished lead guard who would finally give the San Antonio Spurs a consistent pick-and-roll partner for Victor Wembanyama.
San Antonio is the best landing spot for Dillingham. Wemby is the league's most all-encompassing defensive backstop. The Spurs, meanwhile, desperately need creativity from their ball-handlers. Devin Vassell is a tremendous secondary scorer, and Tre Jones is a serviceable backup point guard. But, in Dillingham, the Spurs could finally land an initiator worthy of Wembanyama's elite play-finishing ability.