Ex-Gopher center Joel Przybilla dealt to Atlanta

Former Minnesota Gopher center Joel Przybilla was dealt to Atlanta in a three-way deal involving New York and Milwaukee. Keith Van Horn was dealt to Milwaukee and the Knicks acquired Tim Thomas (from the Bucks) and Nazr Mohammed (from the Hawks). The Hawks acquired Michael Doleac from the Knicks and New York's 2005 second-round draft pick.

Joel Przybilla has struggled since leaving Minnesota during his sophomore season. He averaged 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, but left the team after being suspended by head coach Dan Monson.

Przybilla was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, which was held at the Target Center. He was booed by the Minnesota crowd and dealt to Houston for the rights to Jason Collier and a future first round pick.

Przybilla played in just 33 games as a rookie with 13 starts and averaged just 0.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Przybilla started 62 of 71 contests in his second season and averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

Przybilla started 17 of 32 games last season as he averaged 1.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. The Bucks picked up the option on his fourth year.

Przybilla played in just five games this season, spending most of the year on the injured list with right knee tendonitis.

Atlanta has been active recently, making deals to clear salary cap room for the offseason. The Hawks dealt Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau to Portland for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person, both of whom will be free agents at the end of the season.

Atlanta has only five players under contract beyond this season in Doleac, Jason Terry, rookie Boris Diaw, Chris Crawford and Alan Henderson. The Hawks figure to have at least 20 million dollars to spend on free agents, if they renounce their free agents, including Przybilla