Philly Enters the Elton Brand Chase
Last week, I mentioned the slight possibility that the Philly Sixers could go after Elton Brand this summer. And now, it appears to have become a reality.
New GM Ed Stefanski has his first chance to really make a splash in the City of Brotherly Love by bringing over the highly-coveted Brand.
In the face of a longstanding leaguewide consensus that Brand would return to Hollywood to form a new partnership with Clipper-to-be Baron Davis, sources say that the Sixers are growing increasingly confident in their ability to create additional salary-cap space by finding a new home via trade for swingman Rodney Carney and center Calvin Booth … and then make a sufficiently rich offer Brand would struggle to refuse.
Multiple front-office sources said late Monday that the Sixers are closing in on a deal with the Timberwolves in which the Wolves would absorb the contracts of both Carney and Booth with a $5.2 million trade exception created by Minnesota’s trade of Mark Blount to Miami last October.
Man, this Elton Brand situation is getting more and more complicated by the day. After Baron Davis committed to the Clip Show, it seemed like only a matter of time until Brand signed on the dotted line to create the League’s newest 1-2 combo. But now, no one can say for sure what’s going to happen.
City columnists are making bizarre pleas, houses are being sold, and teams are coming out of the woodwork as potential destination spots. July 9th (the first day that teams can officially sign free agents) can’t get here soon enough.
47 Responses to “Philly Enters the Elton Brand Chase”
Jul.8 at 9:04 am
d.Y. says:
um… woohoo? this feels like a tease. when was the last time we signed a big free agent? Rick Mahorn? Mike Gminski?
Jul.8 at 9:07 am
Ken says:
If he really wants to win, his best chance is with Diddy in LA. But then, I bet he wonders what kind of damage he could do in the East. 20-10 in the West would translate very well, especially in that division.
Jul.8 at 9:08 am
Moose says:
he’s gotta make a decision fast . . . this is torturous
Jul.8 at 9:09 am
Eboy says:
Philly would step up with quickness. Not conference champ material, but definitley a strong, strong 4 with Brand, Iggy, Andre Miller and Dalambert.
Jul.8 at 9:11 am
TADOne says:
Is Minny the new official dump site of unwanted players and/or contracts?
Jul.8 at 9:14 am
Clockwork says:
I signed Brand to Philly in Association mode in NBA 2k8 and still missed the playoffs…because he got injured for the season 3 games in. Hope that won’t happen in real life.
Jul.8 at 9:19 am
Hursty says:
Is anyone else having trouble viewing posts over the last week or so? I cant even see the written articles anymore on the homepage.
Jul.8 at 9:21 am
d.Y. says:
That sounds about right Clockwork. Maybe we’ll end up with Ricky Rubio (that kid espn the mag found in an abandoned gym recently) after all.
Jul.8 at 9:42 am
Hursty says:
In all honesty though, it seems like these teams are throwing money at Brand purely because they have money to throw in the first place. He could never fully recover from his injury and then we’ll start hearing ‘overrated’ etc if things dont pan out.
Jul.8 at 10:17 am
Co Co says:
I agree with Hursty. I don’t know about that injury.
Jul.8 at 10:35 am
Mo Charlo says:
Not only that, Hursty, but Dookies are born losers. No hate on their school-prowess, but once they turn pro, they tend to fail.
Jul.8 at 10:35 am
Lang Whitaker says:
I’m cheering for Elton to sign with Philly so they don’t have any money for Josh Smith.
Jul.8 at 10:49 am
Chou says:
I’m with Lang on that one.
Jul.8 at 10:50 am
TADOne says:
Grant Hill is pretty good. I’m just saying.
P.S.- I also hate Duke.
Jul.8 at 10:51 am
Ron says:
If Brand doesn’t re-sign with the Clips, couldn’t Baron pull a Boozer and not keep his agreement to sign with them and really throw the free agency period upside down yet again?
Jul.8 at 11:09 am
Diesel says:
Everyone talking about Brand choosing to win over money, well in Philly he’d have both the money and a good shot at a deep post season run. I don’t see why he wouldn’t. With the Clips he has just a CHANCE at the playoffs and a teammate that very well could be clark kent.
Jul.8 at 11:12 am
Mo Charlo says:
Tad, Grant Hill is good, like Elton is good, but they’re also both injury-prone and have never won anything.
Jul.8 at 11:15 am
Z says:
Very good point, Ron. Until Baron has signed on the dotted line, he’s pretty much a free agent. Brand on Philly scares me, they’d just need a shooter on the wing and they could be second best in the East.
Jul.8 at 11:17 am
d.Y. says:
Danny Ferry’s still the only Dookie with a ring, and the only actually successful on is Booz, who is best known for lying to an old blind guy. Oh and Lang, sorry, but I’d rather take Josh, and sign n trade Iggy pop for some inside help.
Jul.8 at 11:20 am
Khalid Salaam says:
1. I want Brand on the SIxers. 2. His injury scares me very much. 3. I suppose it’s worth the risk though because on the low we aren’t nearly as good as everyone thinks we are. 4. Giving up Carney in the process won’t hurt us a bit. 5. I don’t want Josh Smith anyway (he’s good but we really don’t need another athlete. we need a post scorer..) 6. If Brand does sign with the Sixers, we’ll probably win the atlantic next yr
Jul.8 at 11:33 am
TADOne says:
Over Boston, Khalid?
Jul.8 at 11:35 am
Jukai says:
Brand with Sixers = sixth seed. Maybe.
Jul.8 at 11:36 am
Khalid Salaam says:
uh, no. not quite used to boston being perennial contenders. when i was thinking about who was in the atlantic i thought knicks, nets and raptors. forgot about the c’s. obviously its boston in that division. but with brand the sixers can contend for a 5 or 6 seed.
Jul.8 at 11:36 am
Jukai says:
Unless Detroit is dismantled, Brand wont push Phili over them. Boston will still dominate. They wont be better than Orlando because that entire team is young and will only improve last year. Doubt they’d be better than Cleveland. So maybe fifth. I don’t know how good Washington will be.
Jul.8 at 11:38 am
Khalid Salaam says:
i fully expect him to resign with LA though so all this talk is just fun and games to me. i’ll believe when and only when it actually happens
Jul.8 at 11:39 am
Dennis Castro says:
Lang, as a Sixer fan, I want Josh first, then Brand. Coming off that injury in a fastbreak offense doesn’t sound like an ideal match.
Jul.8 at 11:42 am
Khalid Salaam says:
d.y i’m not oppossed to your idea but with whom? there’s not a lot of reliable post guys in the l. and please don’t say the sixers should get rasheed
Jul.8 at 11:44 am
TADOne says:
So, as expected, if Brand re-signs with LA, what are the Sixers chances of signing Smith to a contract that the Hawks won’t match? Better than 50%?
Jul.8 at 11:49 am
James Beale says:
@ Khalid, I’m with you on all counts, although I’m not happy about giving away a 1 in the Carney trade. Stil, adding Brand would give us a chance to actually be legit good for the first time in a long time.
Jul.8 at 11:50 am
Frank says:
Philly with Brand contending for a 5 or 6 seed????? They contended for the 5/6 towards the end of last season. they would easily be better then Cleveland, Orlando, Washington, Atlanta, and yes, even old ass Detroit. The Sixers competed with all of those teams last year and without losing anything and adding a 20 10 stud that can play low post D….they’re right there. And remember Boston isn’t going to be as hungry as they were last year, expect a slight drop off.
Jul.8 at 11:53 am
Khalid Salaam says:
problem is, josh smith doesn’t solve a specific need. we’d still need a post scorer. we don’t have the ability to consistently score in the half-court and thats a problem that has to be fixed.
Jul.8 at 11:55 am
TADOne says:
I agree with you 100% Khalid, but the options are very few. Stefanski seems dead set on either Brand, Smith, or bust.
Jul.8 at 12:08 pm
DP says:
He justs wants to pull with the clippers legs. He also wants Baron to kill himself but he will sign with the Clips. Baron, Brand, Thorton, and co. They will be running for that 8th spot no doubt next year.
Jul.8 at 12:12 pm
stickdog says:
Brand has averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks over his 9 season NBA career. I’d say he’s been pretty damn successful in the NBA despite his Duke pedigree. He averaged 76 games a season over his first 8 NBA seasons, so he’s not particularly injury prone either.
Jul.8 at 12:21 pm
d.Y. says:
No Khalid, much as I love Sheed, and would like him on the team as a late career chuck person type of cat, no way I’d trade Ig for him or dream of him even sending an email to the paint. As I posted it I did a head check of post guys that we could trade for and I’ve got nothing. Okafor?
Jul.8 at 2:02 pm
James Beale says:
The only problem with the Brand signing is that the Sixers aren’t one piece away - they’re several. Dalembert, Miller, and AI2 missed a combined zero games last year, which can’t be expected again. Adding Brand is great, but it has to be the first step, not the last
Jul.8 at 2:32 pm
what says:
Yes! Do it! That way we can keep Josh Smith
Jul.8 at 3:34 pm
celtics=champs says:
Elton Brand would be an excellent fit in Philly. Iguadala and Brand that would be some fun stuff to watch. But I’d rather see Elton stay in L.A. along with B. Diddy. Now that would be some GREAT stuff to watch. Maybe if LA is lucky Baron and Elton could get the alley oop going like CP3 and Tyson Chandler. Though Baron is not quiet the caliber player CP3 is.
Jul.8 at 5:31 pm
BETCATS says:
“Chasing the man you cant see”
Jul.8 at 7:05 pm
RV says:
apparently Brand is going to sign with the sixers…it looks like everyone is getting what they deserve here, the warriors, clips, sixers, brand, all of them.
Jul.8 at 9:02 pm
Hursty says:
really RV?
Jul.8 at 9:22 pm
Gerard Himself says:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3479059
Will he pull a Boozer?
Jul.8 at 9:23 pm
Gerard Himself says:
since my posts “awaits” moderation, check espn, they say he’s leaning towards signing with the Sixers.
Jul.8 at 9:33 pm
adbphilly says:
Good Evening, Philadelphia fans welcome to the season opener!!!
starting at guard ANDREEEEE MILLERRRR!
At the other Guard LOUUUUUUUU WILLIAAMSSS
Small foward ANDREEE IGOUDALA
Power Forward ELLLTOOONN BRANNNNNNNNNND
Center SAMMMYY DALEMBERT Oooo this is bittersweet
Jul.8 at 9:42 pm
slamfan4life says:
ok i dont get it, Brand gets an amazing pg in LA and now he leaves for $$$? Doesnt he care about winning??
Jul.8 at 10:06 pm
Dacre says:
he’s young enough to go for the $$$ at the moment… you only need to win i your final year for the chip to make it worthwhile…ie….malones , paytons efforts…pj brown, horry, sam cassell…garnett even….
Jul.9 at 1:55 am
RV says:
Slamfan, he can still win in philly, he’s got a shot at more wins in the east and philly was impressive the last half of the season