FanPost

Trade for Elton Brand?

 

According to  Chad Ford on ESPN.com:




It's not hard to see that the Sixers' future looks brighter with their youth, not their veterans. Miller might be the first to go, and it's not inconceivable that Elton Brand is next.

By the way, ESPN's Chad Ford is not the only one speculating that the 76'ers would trade Brand.
The Philly Burbs reports that Brand could be traded before the trade deadline. (Jan 27)


So, how about the following trade:
Etan Thomas, Andray Blatche & Mike James PLUS the Wizard's 1st round pick in 2009
for
Jason Smith and Elton Brand.


Why on earth would Philly do this deal?
1. The Elton Brand experiment in Philly has not been a success so far. They invested a lot of money in a half-court, low post player and are trying to use him on a trapping, fast break team.
2. They would get an athletic big man (Blatche) that may fit their system better - with a nice (cheap) long term contract.
3. Unlike the Wizards - Without Brand Philly can STILL be a Playoff team.
3. They get over $14 Million in expiring contracts, and could add a nice piece by the trade deadline next year, or go for a free agent in 2010.
4. The #1 pick this year could bring them the next great big man (Griffin), or the next great PG (Rubio)

The salaries work; and the roster spots work as well.
I believe that this trade gives Philly more than either the reported Chicago deal (Larry Hughes and either Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah)
or the Detroit deal (Rasheed Wallace, in the final year of his contract)*

*I think Joe Dumars likes Brand, and he would fit with Detroit's slower paced, half-court style, but I don't think Dumars wants that long term 5-year contract.




Why would the Wizards do this deal?
Keep Butler at SG.
Move Antawn Jamison to SF

Line up next year would look like this:
PG - Arenas / crittenton
SG - Butler / Young / Stevenson
SF - Jamison / McGuire
PF - Brand / /  Darius Songaila / Jason Smith
C -  Haywood / McGee / Pecherov


That might be a team that could contend.
This team could run (Arenas, Butler, Young, etc...) and could also slow it down (Jamison, Brand, Haywood). The Defense would be much improved, with two good interior defenders (Haywood, Brand).


With the perimeter players less apt to "double down", it should also help improve the 3-point defense.

 

 

This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.