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Da Silva is a projected as a mid-to-late first round pick.
Welcome to NBA Draft, where the Colorado Buffaloes are expected to have three players drafted on Thursday and Friday. First up is Tristan da Silva, the three-year starter and shining example of Colorado’s NBA player development.
Background
Tristan da Silva committed to the Colorado Buffaloes as a complete unknown. Coming from Munich, Germany, all we really knew was that he was 6’8, skinny and the younger brother of Stanford star Oscar da Silva. It was anyone’s guess if he would ever develop into a quality player, but clearly the coaching staff had a plan for him.
He first cracked the rotation because he worked hard on defense and was unselfish with the ball in his hands. But he didn’t shoot much and didn’t appear very skilled, even if he had a high feel for the game and showed flashes of potential with his passing vision and cagey drives to the basket.
Da Silva worked hard that next offseason and established himself as a legit starter on a competitive team. His shot was much improved and he gained more and more confidence as a scorer and playmaker as the season wore on. Still, da Silva had to be nudged into being more selfish, as the coaches would intentionally get him involved early and remind him to be more aggressive with the ball.
The next two years was about developing da Silva into an offensive centerpiece. His biggest strength is that he will play within the flow of the offense, but it was also a detriment when he would become passive or defer to his less efficient teammates. But this improved over the years and culminated in his final fifteen games where he averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2 assists per game, all while shooting a ridiculous 56% from two, 43% from three and 89% from the line.
Fiercely competitive and laser focused, da Silva finally garnered national attention in the NCAA Tournament. He caught fire in a low-scoring duel with Boise State, carried the Colorado offense in the middle half of the Florida win, then was his usual selfless and efficient self in that final game against Marquette. He was always a tremendous player, but this is the stretch that catapulted him from a borderline first round pick to a possible lottery selection.
Strengths
Again, da Silva’s biggest strength is that he’s a versatile 6’8 forward who will play to his abilities and attack within the flow of the offense. He’s a smart, patient player who can read the defense and make the right play, be it selflessly moving the ball, taking catch-and-shoot jumpers or driving into open space.
He’s a polished shooter who hit 39.5% of his 299 three-point attempts in the last two years. Most of those were catch-and-shoot and many were off movement, where has great footwork and is always square to the basket. He’s a smart driver who’s balanced and patient with a deep bag of hooks, floaters, pump fakes, Eurosteps and ambidextrous finishes. He’s also a solid playmaker who keep the ball moving along, although he does need to get better at passing out of drives.
Combined with solid, if unspectacular defense, da Silva is a good fit for teams that spread the floor, move the ball around and attack open space. He can step in right away and contribute on a competitive team while on a cheap rookie contract.
Weaknesses
Da Silva is good right now, but he probably won’t become anything more than a fourth or fifth starter (at best). Part of that is his age, as he’s 22-years-old, but it’s mostly because he’s a limited athlete. He’s not explosive and isn’t very strong. He has great feet, but they’re not very quick. That already limits his defensive impact and rebounding ability, and it could affect his driving and finishing against NBA athletes.
There’s also the problem that he almost plays within the offense too much. Often the Buffs needed him to be aggressive, but he was too comfortable letting the game come to him. That’s why Boyle would design sets to get him going early, or else he might disappear into the background. This isn’t a bad trait considering his projected role, but these off nights could have him sitting firmly on the bench if they become commonplace.
NBA Projection
Da Silva projects as a rotation wing who will play winning basketball on a competitive team. For now he’s probably an 8th or 9th man who will play without the ball, set screens and make smart cuts, and hit open shots within the flow of the offense. If he gets a bit stronger and processes the game a bit quicker, he can become a serviceable starter on a good team or a reliable bench player on a great team.
Best Team Fits
Oklahoma City at #12 or Sacramento at #13 might be the best landing spots for da Silva. Both play up-tempo basketball with established stars. Both need more depth and shooting at the 3/4 positions. OKC is looking for players who can step in and contribute on their rookie contracts. Sacramento is more likely to trade the pick, but their offense is perfectly suited for da Silva to play his role and take on a bit more responsibility than he would have in OKC.
Los Angeles (#17), Orlando (#18) and Cleveland (#20) are also good options a bit further down the draft order. The Lakers are shopping their pick, but LeBron could always use another sharpshooting forward. Orlando might be redundant since they have Franz Wagner, who is frankly a better version of TDS, but he would be good depth. Cleveland needs rotation players on cheap contracts, as they’re top heavy and in need of players with da Silva’s particular skill set.
Player Comparison
Da Silva is a discount combination of Franz Wagner and Keegan Murray. He’s just a bit smaller and has less upside than those two. Maybe he’s not a star player or even a starter, but he’s a winning player who should have a long NBA career.
by Sam Metivier
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