3 players 76ers fans should watch at the NBA Draft Combine

The Philadelphia 76ers won a coin flip to claim the No. 16 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. If there's one silver lining to yet another early postseason exit, it is Philadelphia's opportunity to add a cheap, team-controlled contributor with a prime draft pick.

What the 2024 draft lacks is a typical dose of high-level talent at the top. The entire lottery range is generally pretty even, which means a mid-first round pick carries more value relative to a top-five pick than it might in a more "normal" draft class. The Sixers would love to be picking higher, of course, but adding the 16th pick to a roster that includes Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is luxury enough.

There's a decent chance Daryl Morey flips this pick for an established contributor — Jimmy Butler, come on down — but assuming the Sixers can't find a genuine needle-mover, Morey has historically held on to his first-round picks in the face of trade buzz. The Sixers' draft record under Morey is strong, starting with Maxey all the way back in 2020. He was the 21st pick out of the Kentucky.

Philadelphia didn't have a draft pick in 2023, but Ricky Council IV earned a standard rookie contract after going undrafted and beginning the season on a two-way deal. He looks the part of a long-term contributor. The Sixers are generally one of the best teams in the league when it comes to analyzing talent and maximizing value on the margins, even if Morey's aversion to continuity and focus on talent above fit can cause issues.

Here are a few prospects the 76ers should zero in on at the NBA Draft Combine, which runs from May 12-19 in Chicago. Under the new CBA, all invited prospects are required to participate in full, which is a rather substantial development. Front offices will get more information than ever on top prospects.

3. DaRon Holmes II would address 76ers' backup center woes

The Sixers were once again blasted in the non-Joel Embiid minutes in the playoffs. That's why the Knicks are still playing and the Sixers are mulling over their options at home. Paul Reed has generally been the best backup big of the Embiid era — at least relative to his contract — but his lack of rim protection and offensive erraticism was untenable in the postseason.

DaRon Holmes has been one of college basketball's top rim protectors for three years now. He was the centerpiece of Dayton's scheme — a mobile, springy shot-blocker with enough lateral quickness to guard up on pick-and-rolls and slide his feet on switches. He's listed at roughly 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds. Holmes isn't bulky, but he competes like hell and keeps a wide stance in the post.

The Sixers should be intrigued equally by Holmes' offensive potential. He hit 38.6 percent of his 3s as a junior. Maybe it's a fluke, or maybe it's hard work paying off. Holmes moves his feet well in tight spaces and shows adaptability as a finisher in the paint. He can soar for lobs, tiptoe around defenders for layups, or pop out to the 3-point line.

Dayton ran a lot of offense through Holmes last season. He averaged 20.4 points on .544/.386/.713 splits and dished out 2.6 assists per game. He keeps his head up as a passer. The Flyers allowed him to dribble on the perimeter, intiate two-man actions, and attack on straight-line drives. There simply aren't many more well-rounded bigs available in this range. Some will say No. 16 is too high for Holmes, but they would be incorrect.

2. Pacome Dadiet is what the 76ers need on the wing, in theory

At his exit interview, Daryl Morey said the Sixers' biggest offseason need is a wing that can perform in the playoffs. Eyes will naturally wander to Paul George or Jimmy Butler, but in reality, the Sixers need to stockpile several playoff-viable wings. This was the deepest wing rotation of the Embiid era — Kelly Oubre, Nic Batum, Tobias Harris, and Buddy Hield can all hoop — but the room for improvement is noticeable. Especially with every name listed above about to hit free agency and probably depart.

There is growing momentum behind 18-year-old Pacome Dadiet as a potential sleeper. The French wing, currently playing for Germany's Ratiopharm Ulm, has impressed scouts with his dynamic skill set at 6-foot-8. Dadiet checks a lot of boxes that NBA teams covet, equipped with soft touch, a legitimate pull-up jumper, excellent tempo as a ball-handler, and real defensive versatility.

He needs to tighten the screws and cut down on simple mistakes, but Dadiet makes some eye-opening plays on offense. He's an aggressive scorer, capable of shaking defenders with choppy handles and shifting speeds. The pull-up looks smooth, he's strong enough to finish through contact at the rim, and he's unafraid to test out bold passes. He can stumble into silly turnovers, but the vision and self-confidence are positive indicators.

In today's game, the '3-and-D' archetype is quietly losing value. You cannot have one-dimiensional offensive players on the floor in the postseason. Dadiet can splash 3s, but he's also a threat to beat closeouts, create on the move, or score off of backdoor cuts and relocations. Tall, multi-faceted wings are all the rage, and Philadelphia should be keen to see how Dadiet looks against his peers on the Combine stage.

1. Isaiah Collier could be Tyrese Maxey 2.0 for 76ers

Isaiah Collier and Tyrese Maxey are very different players, but some of the same principles apply to their respective draft stocks. Maxey fell to No. 21 over concerns about his jump shot. Collier is hovering in the mid-teens on a lot of mock drafts for the same reason. He shot 33.8 percent on 3.0 attempts per game from deep at USC.

There are divergences in terms of how Collier should be evaluated compared to freshman Tyrese Maxey. The latter displayed unreal touch around the basket and put constant pressure on the rim with his speed. The jump shot concerns are more valid with Collier (67.3 percent on free throws), but teams are overlooking major strides as a playmaker — not to mention Collier's outlier strength and burst in a class short on legitimate initiator bets.

Collier is built like a tank at 6-foot-5. He plows through defenders for tough finishes at the rim and should draw plenty of foul-line trips as a result. He started the season averaging more turnovers than assists, but completely flipped that script in conference play. The game slowed down for Collier, who better processed the Trojans' cramped spacing and consistently generated open looks for teammates (4.1 assists to 2.4 turnovers in Pac-12 games).

He's going to pressure the rim, create advantages, and score proficiently inside the arc. If the jumper can improve to league-average levels, Collier profiles as arguably the best offensive guard on the board. He should be closer to the top-five conversation than the Sixers at No. 16, but right now, the odds of Collier tumbling into Philadelphia's lap are startlingly high. If that happens, Philadelphia can land an explosive backcourt running mate for Maxey. Maybe, in time, the Sixers will have another bursty All-Star guard on their hands.