NBA Trade Grades: 76ers Ship Off Ersan Ilyasova To Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers
Forget about Tiago Splitter, because it would be unlikely for him to ever play for the Sixers even if he wasn’t currently injured. He’s 32, he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer and he wasn’t good the last time we saw him take the floor anyway.
Whether or not the 76ers manage to trade Jahlil Okafor, there’d still be a center logjam with Splitter joining the party, so he’s pretty much a non-factor here.
The #sixers have not decided on whether they will retain Tiago Splitter, according to a league source.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 23, 2017
Either way, the first major asset here (with the word “major” being loosely defined) is the two second round picks.
One will be a 2017 second-rounder from the Miami Heat (protected 31-40), while the Sixers have agreed to swap their 2017 pick, which will ultimately be via the Golden State Warriors’ second-rounder heading to Atlanta.
Two second-rounders for a 29-year-old stretch-4 isn’t the most overwhelming return, even if he is an expiring contract, but the best part about this trade isn’t anything the Sixers are actually getting. No, the real beauty of this trade is that it clears out minutes for the Homie.
— Michael Gallagher (@MikeSGallagher) February 23, 2017
Over the last few weeks, rookie Dario Saric has been playing some great basketball for the 76ers. He’s only averaging 10.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on ugly .397/.327/.784 shooting splits for the season, but over his last 14 games, those numbers have jumped to 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on .457/.274/.795 shooting splits.
With the Homie making such a significant impact off the bench and playing so well in extended minutes, the Sixers were able to clear out Ilyasova and free up more minutes for their promising rookie.
Though Ilyasova was a big part of the Sixers’ midseason turnaround, he was an unrestricted free agent this summer. Philadelphia was wise to avoid overpaying to re-sign him and instead, managed to turn him into some draft assets before his $8.4 million deal. This trade isn’t unfair to Ilyasova either, since he gets to join a playoff team again.
Next: 2017 NBA Trade Deadline: Grades For All 30 Teams
It’s not the sexiest deal the Sixers have managed to pull off in recent years, but The Process is alive and well. With Embiid and Ben Simmons still injured, trading the team’s leading scorer helps back the tank up for a higher 2017 draft pick, frees up some minutes for the young Saric and nets two additional second-rounders. Is there anything more Sam Hinkie than that?
Grade: B+