So I got to thinking about this. These are the games from Feb on where Ilyasova player 30 minutes or more. I had to transcribe them by hand, because I can't figure out how to "paste special" with my Macbook.
I understand that this isn't a real representation of how he would play over 30 mins in the course of a season. Whatever led Skiles to leave Ilyasova in (injuries in a few cases, matchups I'm sure led to a few, maybe a few 'Illy' as he will now be called was just 'feeling it' and Skiles rode him out. Point is, that's over 11 games, and I think that's enough to make an argument.
5/2 V ATL, 31 mins, 13 pts, 11 rbs, 1 asst, 1 stl
4/3 V PHO, 31 mins, 12 pts, 7 rebounds, 1 assist.
4/6 V CHI, 32 mins, 17 pts, 7 rebounds, 1 block
4/7 V NJN, 30 mins, 15 pts, 9 boards, 2 assists
3/28 V MEM 32 mins, 8 pts, 6 boards, 2 stls, 2 blks
3/20 V DEN 32 mins, 14 pts, 10 boards, 2 assists, 2 blks
3/19 V SAC 35 mins, 12 pts, 11 boards, 2 assists
3/3 V WAS 33 mins, 19 pts, 10 boards, 6 assists, 1 stl, 1 block
2/28 V ATL 31 9 pts, 8 boards, 1 asts, 1 stl
2/19 V DET 33 mins, 16pts, 12 bords, 3 assists, 3 stls
2/5 V NYK 30 mins, 25 pts, 9 boards,
He had some bad games in there, 2/28 v atlanta, 3/28 v memphis, it happens.
But if I can play Illy for minutes like that (31-34 per game), and he gets stats like that, coupled with the defense we already know he plays, I think that's a good argument for being an above average starter.