Sources: Sixers Finalizing Trade to Send Ilyasova to Hawks for Spiltter, 2nd-round Picks

The Sixers are trading a frontcourt player before the deadline … just not the one people expected.

The Sixers are finalizing a trade to send Ersan Ilyasova to the Atlanta Hawks for center Tiago Splitter and two second-round picks, a league source confirmed to CSNPhilly.com Sixers Insider Jessica Camerato.

The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news.

Ilyasova was acquired along with a conditional first-round pick from Oklahoma City on Nov. 1 for Jerami Grant. The 29-year-old, who is a free agent at the end of the season, has averaged 14.3 points and 5.9 rebounds this season.

However, he has struggled offensively lately, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from three-point range over the last 10 games.

"I am not going to say it's just because of free agency," said Ilyasova, who has now been traded five times in 20 months after spending the first seven NBA seasons of his career in Milwaukee. "You have 82 games, you can't play perfect. Sometimes you have good games and bad games.

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The move also allows Sixers Dario Saric to receive even more playing time and experience as the team heads into the final 26 games of the regular season. Saric has shown steady improvement all season long. The rookie has averaged 16.0 points on 44.0 percent shooting with 6.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in nine games during February.

Splitter has missed the entire season with hip and calf injuries. A league source tells Camerato that the Sixers have not yet determined whether the Sixers will keep Splitter or waive him. The veteran's contract expires after this season.

While Ilyasova is the first Sixers domino to fall at the deadline, he may not be the last. League sources also tell Wojnarowski that the Chicago Bulls have "continued to push on a trade" for Jahlil Okafor.

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