The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers Ersan Ilyasova: So Good It’s Bad

By Bret Stuter

Dec 16, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) dribbles past Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Los Angeles Lakers won 100-89. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) dribbles past Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Los Angeles Lakers won 100-89. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers are young and beginning to gel. The team is beating good teams, and power forward Ersan Ilyasova is helping to lead the way. But is his performance too good?

The Philadelphia 76ers are the anti-NBA NBA team. Breaking virtually every conventional and unspoken rule in the league, the team was tolerated as long as they lost and took on the contracts of overpaid veterans.  Perhaps it was the fatigue of watching the team lose so regularly. Or perhaps it was the foresight of the team emerging so rapidly on the upside that intervention was needed to prevent other teams from following suit.

Even with the front office changes, the team’s make-up clings to the rebel recipe.  Two parts undrafted, two parts two-years-redshirts, a second rounder on the bench, three fistfuls of center, sprinkle in some veterans and stir vigorously. When you look at the 76ers roster, Ersan Ilyasova is so conventional NBA that he stands out.

Dinner is Served!

Whoever you credit for the feast the Philadelphia 76ers are serving up on the basketball court right now, nobody can deny how delicious this success tastes.  After all, the city has been starving for positive play for years.

But lost in the shuffle is the economic facts of the team.  The Philadelphia 76ers have several players with expiring contracts. No contract is more concerning than that of power forward Ersan Ilyasova.

You see, Ilyasova is having the time of his life, and the season of his career.  He is averaging 15.5 PPG (career avg 10.9) 6.1 rebounds (career avg 6.0) and shooting 38.9 percent from 3PT range (37.2% career).

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You Pass GO! You Get Paid

Ultimately, he will look for a new contract at the end of this season. And with his producing at career highs, he will definitely seek the most money of his career.

And there’s the rub. He fits. He compliments the play of the team well, in spacing, shooting, and rebounding, he keeps plugging away and produces.  But he is a veteran of eight years, and the Philadelphia 76ers are a young team. Meanwhile, there is an old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. But it breaks at the end of this season?  *crickets*

A Fool And NBA Contract Terms

Some team shopping for front court help will be stupid with their contract terms, giving Ilyasova more than he is worth.  And that will either force the 76ers to overpay in an attempt to retain Ilyasova (and don’t think Colangelo would not do that), or cut ties and hope that Dario Saric will be equal to the task in his second year in the NBA.

Ideally, the team would love to retain Ilyasova, but likely on their terms.  One or two years for premium dollars, just enough time with the team to ensure younger players will be ready to take over.  But that would leave Ilyasova looking for work sooner, and no guarantees he would be coming out of a career high season.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Dario Saric, The Croation Sensation 2.0

I don’t think the Philadelphia 76ers will be able to sneak a team-friendly contract over to Ilyasova’s agent to sign.  Ilyasova will want a multi-year contract with top salary / year.
And that’s the bad part. Right now, he is playing so well, some team will give it to him.