It's official: Hawks acquire Tiago Splitter from Spurs
The Atlanta Hawks acquired center Tiago Splitter from the San Antonio Spurs in return for a compensation package of one non-roster player and a future second-round draft pick, the team announced on Thursday.
The deal, which was struck early in the free agency process, was confirmed after the NBA lifted its free-agent moratorium on Thursday.
"We're excited to bring Tiago to Atlanta. He's played an important role in a winning environment, has a great understanding of our system and will add to our core character," Hawks coach and president of basketball opertations Mike Budenholzer, a former Spurs assistant, said in a statement. "Tiago also brings championship experience and we look forward to adding his interior presence to our team."
Atlanta sent the draft rights to Greek prospect Georgios Printezis, who was originally drafted by the Spurs back in 2007, to complete the deal.
Splitter comes with a hefty price tag -- he's under contract for the next two seasons at more than $8 million annually -- but with the departure of Pero Antic, the 6-foot-11 Splitter provides versatility and rim protection on the interior. With Paul Millsap agreeing to re-sign on a reported three-year, $58.9 million deal, along with reserves Mike Muscala and rookie Edy Tavares, the Hawks are set to boast one of the Eastern Conference's top frontcourts next season.
However, acquiring Splitter also limits Atlanta's financial flexibility this offseason, which meant the organization was unable to hold onto both Millsap and wing DeMarre Carroll. Carroll signed with the Toronto Raptors on a four-year deal that will pay him $15 million annually.
Splitter averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for the Spurs last season. The former first-round pick helped San Antonio capture the 2014 title.
