Detroit Pistons: 4 trade-down targets in the NBA draft
By Matthew Way
Detroit Pistons trade-down target No. 3: Killian Tillie
If you just looked at Killian Tillie’s statistics during his time at Gonzaga, you would search hard to figure out why he’s on this list.
An ultra-efficient stretch big, Tillie is an ideal modern NBA big with lottery talent.
He shot 44.0 percent from deep on an effortlessly smooth stroke during his four years in Spokane while showing off a deft touch with both hands around the rim. While Tillie is certainly not a threat off the dribble, he’s a deadly pick-and-pop threat for a team looking to diversify its offensive repertoire.
The catch comes in his multitude of serious injuries throughout his college career. Medical evaluations will be key in determining just where he falls in the draft, and his ailments have negatively affected his mobility to a degree.
Despite that, Tillie remains an intriguing defensive prospect. He’s a very good communicator and smoothly rotates while identifying sets far earlier than most all college players. And he still moves well enough to stay in front of his counterparts on the perimeter while displaying the ability to play physically in the paint.
Tillie’s injury history drops him to a late first, early second-round type prospect but the talent is lottery level. The Pistons need to take chances and if the medical checks out, Tillie is an intriguing option for them if they acquire picks later in the draft.