Wed, Feb 22, 2017 at 12:53am

ILYASOVA TO ATLANTA, FREEING UP MINUTES FOR SARIC

The Atlanta Hawks acquired combo forward Ersan Ilyasova and a 2nd-round draft pick in 2017 from the Philadelphia 76ers for center Tiago Splitter and and two 2nd-round draft picks in 2017.

What does it give the Atlanta Hawks
This is a nice stretch-run move by a Hawks team still in the thick of the East playoff hunt. Ilyasova is one of the NBA's more underappreciated and well-rounded combo forwards, and the vet should prove a useful, game-ready depth addition. The fact he and Splitter have similar expiring contracts helps Atlanta's cause, and the draft pick loss isn't likely to have much impact on the Hawks' future (although they do likely move down in Round 2 with the pick they receive).

What does it give the Philadelphia 76ers
This deal achieves a key objective for the young, improving Sixers: freeing up minutes in the team's overcrowded frontcourt, most particularly for surging rookie and future star Dario Saric. Since Ilyasova was a rotation regular and Splitter is sidelined indefinitely by a calf injury, almost all of Ilyasova's minutes might (and should) go to Saric. Plus, the two 2017 second-rounders are solid assets for a rebulding team such as Philly.

Fantasy impact
Saric becomes a fantasy must-own on the heels of this deal. He's been playing like a star lately as Philly's sixth man; and while it's no guarantee he becomes a starter now, he should definitely see a nice boost in minutes with Ilyasova gone. Don't expect Ilyasova to see a significant change in his middling fantasy value (but do expect perhaps the struggling Kent Bazemore to see a drop in looks and playing time).