Sixers officially sign Elton Brand

[Interminator]

JULY 9 UPDATE: It's official, Elton Brand has joined the Sixers. Link: http://www.insidehoops.com/sixers-si...d-070908.shtml

It suddenly appears that the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Clippers re-signing franchise forward Elton Brand can be found far east of Oakland.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Monday night that the Philadelphia 76ers are again "actively involved" in the Brand hunt -- and now a very serious threat to tempt him away from L.A. -- after initially fearing that they couldn't compete financially with the Clippers and Golden State Warriors.

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 trading away swingman Rodney Carney and center Calvin Booth, setting them up to make a sufficiently rich offer Brand would struggle to refuse.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3477424

Now by Brand going to Philadelphia I wouldn't be mad about but I don't know where Brand's addition would put Philly in the EC,I still think at best they're competing with Toronto,Washington,& Cleveland at #5.

[mln03]

It's got to be better than that. They were competing with those guys at the end of last year with a very young/inexperienced group. I think they'll be competing for the 3 seed with the Brand addition. Maybe 2 seed depending if Detroit blows up their roster this season. 4 or 5 seed with Josh Smith.

[BlazersDozen]

I would still be mad at Brand.

The guy opts out and tells the Clippers to sign Baron Davis, he also lured Baron Davis saying that he WANTS to play with his buddy in L.A. and to make the Clippers a contender with Baron. Baron then signs with the Clippers and now Elton wants to explore the market. It's a ***** move.

[sixerfan82]

I would still be mad at Brand.

The guy opts out and tells the Clippers to sign Baron Davis, he also lured Baron Davis saying that he WANTS to play with his buddy in L.A. and to make the Clippers a contender with Baron. Baron then signs with the Clippers and now Elton wants to explore the market. It's a ***** move.

i hear you on that one, but the reality of the matter is, he any just about ANY star in this league right now stands a better chance to go further in the east than in the west

[Interminator]

It's got to be better than that. They were competing with those guys at the end of last year with a very young/inexperienced group. I think they'll be competing for the 3 seed with the Brand addition. Maybe 2 seed depending if Detroit blows up their roster this season. 4 or 5 seed with Josh Smith.

You deserve more of those.

1.Boston
2.Detroit
3.Orlando

After those 3 you have the teams battling for the 4-8 seeds in Miami, Cleveland,Washington,Toronto,Philly,Atlanta,& Milwaukee.

Philly needs much more than Brand to even be the #2 seed.

[BlazersDozen]

To be the two seed they'd need to something amazing to happen like...

Andre Miller/Kevin Ollie
Andre Iguodala/Willie Green
Corey Maggette/James Posey
Elton Brand/Thad Young
Samuel Dalembert/Steven Hunter

Not even sure that could beat Boston and Detroit.

[2LeTTeRS]

This could go a long way in evening up the balance of power between the east and the West. I doubt the Clips with Baron and no Brand or Maggette are a .500 team. The Warriors will also have a hard time reaching .500 without Baron. Assuming Brand goes to Philly, the only team among the top 10 in the West that would have really got better by the draft or free agency so far in the west is Portland, while in the East Chicago, Miami, Toronto, and Indiana have all imporoved (and of course Philly if Brand signs). Come on Elton go to Philly.

[Posterize246]

I've got them at 5 with a possibility of 4 (if they get Elton). Depends if Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy (which is a big if).

1.Boston
2.Detroit
3.Orlando
4.Toronto/Philly
5.Philly/Toronto
6.Cleveland
7.Washington
8.Atlanta

[Posterize246]

To be the two seed they'd need to something amazing to happen like...

Andre Miller/Kevin Ollie
Andre Iguodala/Willie Green
Corey Maggette/James Posey
Elton Brand/Thad Young
Samuel Dalembert/Steven Hunter

Not even sure that could beat Boston and Detroit.

Kevin Ollie is a FA. And Steven Hunter doesn't play for us anymore. And no way can that happen financially

[Interminator]

To be the two seed they'd need to something amazing to happen like...

Andre Miller/Kevin Ollie
Andre Iguodala/Willie Green
Corey Maggette/James Posey
Elton Brand/Thad Young
Samuel Dalembert/Steven Hunter

Not even sure that could beat Boston and Detroit.

Yeah that would be amazingly impossible,and Kevin Ollie wasn't resigned it would be Louis Williams at back-up PG.

Philly still would need a guy who can take over a game and win it for you because both Brand & Iggy Pop are good 2nd options.

No NBA team can win a Championship without a Playmaker,hopefully Iggy can develop into one who can win the game in the clutch.

[Interminator]

I've got them at 5 with a possibility of 4 (if they get Elton). Depends if Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy (which is a big if).

1.Boston
2.Detroit
3.Orlando
4.Toronto/Philly
5.Philly/Toronto
6.Cleveland
7.Washington
8.Atlanta

I always rank Cleveland low too but every year LeBron carries them to a seed higher than their team's talent level would dictate.

How a team with Delonte West and Sasha Pavlovic in the backcourt ends up as the 4th seed in the East is dependant on LeBron.

[Posterize246]

Yeah that would be amazingly impossible,and Kevin Ollie wasn't resigned it would be Louis Williams at back-up PG.

Philly still would need a guy who can take over a game and win it for you because both Brand & Iggy Pop are good 2nd options.

No NBA team can win a Championship without a Playmaker,hopefully Iggy can develop into one who can win the game in the clutch.

In about 4-5 years, should the team stay the way it is now, Lou Williams could be that guy. He's shown flashes like in games like this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wOGhMkbxCUc

He's pretty much the only guy on Philly right now who can create his shot whenever he wants.

[Interminator]

In about 4-5 years, should the team stay the way it is now, Lou Williams could be that guy. He's shown flashes like in games like this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wOGhMkbxCUc

He's pretty much the only guy on Philly right now who can create his shot whenever he wants.

Possibly I always liked his game and thought he'd be a steal in the 2nd Round.

But remember Toronto won that game though.

[Posterize246]

Possibly I always liked his game and thought he'd be a steal in the 2nd Round.

But remember Toronto won that game though.

Yeah by 2. Only the 5th game of the season though. Toronto was supposed to be better anyway.

[BlazersDozen]

Kevin Ollie is a FA. And Steven Hunter doesn't play for us anymore. And no way can that happen financially

I know it couldn't happen financially I was just saying. Where does Steven Hunter play now? He's a solid big man.