Elton Brand Signs With Atlanta Hawks for $4 Million

The Atlanta Hawks have inked veteran free agent foward Elton Brand to a one-year, $4 million deal. Per USA Today and the Hawks’ team website: “Elton has four, five quality years left to play,’ agent David Falk said. ‘He’s not a person who makes plays with his speed or jumping. He’s a player who makes players with his head. He’s not concerned with starting. He’s knows he’ll come off the bench. He’ll be able to play quality minutes at the four (power forward) and five (center) when teams go small. He played both in Philadelphia and Denver. This is a good opportunity for him.’ Falk likes the situation in Atlanta. Falk was Ferry’s agent when Ferry played in the NBA, and Falk has known Ferry’s dad, Bob, since the mid-1970s. He believes in what Ferry is doing with the Hawks, starting with the decision to hire Mike Budenholzer, a former San Antonio Spurs assistant, as coach […] ‘Elton brings a veteran presence both on and off the court and is a welcomed addition to our locker room,’ GM Danny Ferry said. ‘His ability to play center or power forward will give our frontcourt a great deal of versatility and we think he will be an outstanding fit to our program.’ Brand, 34, tallied 7.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists in 21.2 minutes per game (.473 FG%, .710 FT%) in 72 games (18 starting assignments) last season with the Dallas Mavericks. The 6-foot-9, 254-pound big man has played in 932 career games (848 starts) over his 14-year career with Chicago, L.A. Clippers, Philadelphia and Dallas, putting up 17.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in 35.2 minutes (.500 FG%, .738 FT%). He ranks second among active NBA players in offensive rebounds (3,170), fifth in blocks (1,707), seventh in total rebounds (8,516), 14th in field goals made (6,347) and 17th in points (16,242). A two-time NBA All-Star (2002 and 2006), Brand owns 404 career double-doubles and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005-06. Additionally, he won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2006 and is a two-time divisional winner (2004 and 2007).”