WowWowWow: Brand to the Sixers!

Marc Stein is reporting that Elton Brand is going to take a 5 year deal worth $82 million to play in Philly.

Just in case you were wondering, this most definitely does NOT make the East any easier next season. But you already knew that.

UPDATE: It looks like the other big name Clipper is off the market as well. The L.A. Times is reporting that Corey Maggette will be going to Golden State for 5 years/$50 million.

4 months ago JakeTheSnake Comment 22 comments 0 recs |

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Hooray for the 76ers and their fans

Too bad for the Clippers fans. Brand really screwed the Clips on this one. Hard to feel sorry for a #$#$# like Donald Sterling. And how does Baron Davis feel about going to the Clippers and then Brand pulls the old reverse on him. Not surprising that a Dukie wouldn’t keep his word. Now where have we heard that one before?

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Jul 8, 2008 9:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Oh crap.

by bronco6778 on Jul 8, 2008 10:22 PM EDT 0 recs

Just shows you how great Arenas really is. Everyone said that if a player could leave 20 mil on the table, it would be Brand. Well, they were wrong.

by hibachi on Jul 8, 2008 10:35 PM EDT 0 recs

yep

definitely makes me appreciate Gilbert even more. Feel bad for Clippers fans. That franchise can’t seem to catch a break.

by ooba on Jul 9, 2008 10:20 AM EDT up 0 recs

This Really Stinks

The East keeps getting better and better. If EC teams were computers, then most teams right now are upgrading their processors, memory, and video cards. We can only hope for a cooling fan at this point. It’s very depressing. I see yet another team leap-frogging us in the standings this season because their owner and GM were unafraid to make a big move. I just hope that Detroit gets a lot worse and that Cleveland doesn’t get any better.

Sorry for the computer analogy. I am a geek.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 8, 2008 10:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Reggie Evans is pissed right now...

But I’m not terribly worried. Having been exiled in Philly as a Wiz for the past two years (but back now), they are not that good. Their athleticism is frightening, but they still don’t have a consistent shooter, and their PG is aging. Nor do I think that Josh Smith would have been that great an add either. For the Sixers to get to the next level, they need their own Gil, and AI 2.0 ain’t it.

Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!

by ledellforlife on Jul 9, 2008 12:17 AM EDT up 0 recs

But They're Already at Our Level!

They won 40 games last season, despite being 18-30 in early February. They were one of the hottest, if not the hottest, teams in the second half of the NBA season last season. They beat us twice. They were only 3 games behind us in the standings, and now they acquired one of the best PFs in the league. I hate to admit it, but I think we’re in trouble.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 9, 2008 8:02 AM EDT up 0 recs

Right

And by getting Brand, they’ve solved their biggest weakness: scoring in the half-court. Brand allows Thaddeus Young (a dude I was very wrong about, by the way) to his natural small forward position and slides Iguodala (assuming he re-signs) to shooting guard, eliminating the weak link in their starting lineup. Andre Miller and Brand were once teammates, so they already have pretty good chemistry on pick-and-rolls. Their defense will remain outstanding (it was even when they sucked) thanks to their athleticism on the perimeter and Dalembert and Brand down low.

They still need shooters, but they’re very dangerous. I’m dismayed that Brand came East.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Pradamaster on Jul 9, 2008 9:41 AM EDT up 0 recs

I like the move East by Brand

He’s coming off a knee injury that happened during his prime years. Moving East allows him to play in a weaker (but improving) conference, and he’ll play against smaller bodies inside. Put him with a great pick and roll PG in Miller, and the Sixers have a great mix of young talent and veterans. But I especially like this move for Brand. It puts him in the best position to get the most out of his years in the NBA, in terms of winning and production.

Dear Diary, JACKPOT!!!!!!!!!!

by Evander holyfield on Jul 9, 2008 11:29 AM EDT up 0 recs

Hollinger is more than happy to agree with you.

He sees Philly as a 50+ win team now, right in there with Orlando and Detroit to challenge for the top seeds in the conference. I disagree with his prognostications on occasion, but it’s hard to imagine the Sixers not dramatically improving.

Getting buckets since 2003.

by Icantfeelmyface on Jul 9, 2008 8:47 AM EDT up 0 recs

My comment was cut off for some reason . . .

But one of the things I said was pointing out the fact that another Dukie had trouble with the truth in free agency.

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Jul 8, 2008 11:10 PM EDT 0 recs

CrapCrapCrap!

Eff Philly and all their dirt bag fans.

I bet Baron Davis doesn’t even feel like playing basketball anymore.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Jul 8, 2008 11:25 PM EDT 0 recs

Damn

I’m worried about what Philly’s doing. I don’t know how far this gets them, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Also, I live with two Warriors fans and in the past week or so the mood has been somewhere between listening to Death Cab on loop and basketball hari-kiri.

by MikeMid on Jul 8, 2008 11:32 PM EDT 0 recs

I don't think Baron is committed to staying with the Clips

Free agents can’t actually sign a new contract until the 9th… I could be wrong about it, but if he can still get out of this pickle, where would he go?

Dear Diary, JACKPOT!!!!!!!!!!

by Evander holyfield on Jul 9, 2008 12:54 AM EDT 0 recs

whoa now....

Long time reader, first time commenter. Guys, should we be worried that the stars could be aligning for Gilbert to go to the Clippers as many have suggested? I mean, Gilbert and Baron are basically the same players, and Gil could not make the max, but….Oh, I’m just paranoid.

by Unselds on Jul 9, 2008 9:47 AM EDT up 0 recs

I don't think there's anything to worry about

The Clips have nothing that appeals to Arenas…not enough cap room for a big contract, no chance at being competitive, and they can’t offer the sixth year.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Pradamaster on Jul 9, 2008 10:00 AM EDT up 0 recs

I don't see it

Look, the Sixers were way better than they had any right to be at the end of last season. That came down to their youth and athleticism—they just outran everyone else. It’s not like the team was all that talent-heavy. Will they be able to play that up-and-down game with Brand and his old injuries lumbering up and down the court? He’s a dangerous addition, sure, but I think Philly as a 50-win team is a myth. They have ONE legitimate all-star now, plus an aging-but-talented point, a dangerous second-year player in T. Young, and a near all-star who I don’t see getting there in Iggy.

by sierradave on Jul 9, 2008 9:56 AM EDT 0 recs

Not everyone has to run the break at the same time

Plus, Brand’s not that old. If he recovers, he can run just fine. This isn’t like Shaq in Phoenix.

Maybe they weren’t talent-heavy, but they won 40 games without Brand, and all their guys are young. I see no reason why they can’t win 10 more.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Pradamaster on Jul 9, 2008 10:01 AM EDT up 0 recs

For the Record

I was one of those people who thought that Boston wouldn’t be as good as the post-Garnett trade hype made them out to be. I mean, come on! Three over-the-hill All-Stars are good to have, but they traded away their entire bench and pretty much all their young talent to get them. Meanwhile we had three relatively young All-Stars and couldn’t even crack the second round. I predicted that they might be a 40 win team, if their aging All-Stars could stay healthy.

You see that egg dripping from my face? I won’t make that mistake again. The 76ers will be a legitimate threat, make no mistake. Fortune favors the bold. That sound you just heard was a warning shot coming over the Wizards bough from the Philly area.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 9, 2008 10:32 AM EDT up 0 recs

Not only that

Now the 76ers have a player who can be the bell cow when teams slow them down and they can’t get those quick baskets. Brand will be a handful for all the PFs in the East (especially our team). And I think he showed at the end of this year that he’s getting back to the form he had before he was hurt.

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Jul 9, 2008 10:04 AM EDT 0 recs

What if?

The Sixers had signed Jamison, and we were spared all of the Wes Unseld parallels from Pollin, and got rid of him. Does anyone know where I’m going with this?

...we pull a Sixers move and dump a few players…and then make an offer to Brand.

But, no, we tell EVERYONE our priority is to re-sign a 32 year-old Power Forward who doesn’t play defense. I love AJ, but in light of a player like Brand entertaining an offer from a team that also made a pass at Jamison, I can’t help but think we were close in some way.

by oatmealeater on Jul 10, 2008 1:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Wasn't going to happen

Unless we also dumped Gilbert Arenas. Doing that would have cleared 14 million in cap space, which was less than Brand eventually took from Philadelphia.

Would you rather have Brand than Jamison, Arenas and someone like Nick Young? I’ll take what we have.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Pradamaster on Jul 10, 2008 2:05 PM EDT up 0 recs