<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>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 are a very serious threat to tempt him away from L.A. -- after initially fearing 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. Dealing away Carney and Booth -- with Minnesota and Memphis quickly emerging as possible destinations -- would shed nearly $3 million from the Sixers' payroll next season as long as the trade doesn't require new GM Ed Stefanski to take any salary back. 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 by using the $2.8 million remaining from a trade exception created by Minnesota's trade of Mark Blount to Miami last October and a separate minimum player exception. It was not immediately known what financial and/or draft considerations might be included in the trade from either side. The Sixers are already expecting to have at least $11 million in salary-cap space to spend when the league announces next season's cap figure to all 30 teams Tuesday night. Depending on how closely the cap ceiling for the 2008-09 season comes to the widely projected estimate of $58-59 million -- and if the Sixers can finalize a trade to part with Carney and Booth -- it's conceivable that Philadelphia could possess the financial flexibility to start a five-year offer to Brand at a first-year salary in the $15 million range.</div> ESPN
Philly has to be the second best team in the east if they can steal Smith or Brand. They would probably be the most athletic team in the NBA.
Brand is leaning towards signing with the Sixers. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>In an improbable turn, Elton Brand is leaning toward accepting a five-year, approximately $80 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, multiple league sources said Tuesday afternoon.</div> Brand with a smart choice. A young and ready to win team who just need a veteran with some leadership.
Yes Brand! If this goes through, the Atlantic's going to be strong next year. NBA Champs, Bosh/JO Duo in Toronto, and a young, athletic and revamped Philly team.
http://sportstwo.com/NBA/Story/NBA/2591491 Sixers talking trade with Timberwolves Tuesday, July 8, 2008 07:45 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia 76ers are close to swinging a trade that would send forward Rodney Carney, center Calvin Booth and a No. 1 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an attempt to open salary-cap room, according to a report by the Philadelphia Daily News on Tuesday. The ultimate purpose of the deal for the 76ers would be to create enough space so they could make an offer to Los Angeles Clippers unrestricted free-agent forward Elton Brand. The newspaper reported that the 76ers could be able to offer Brand a five-year contract worth $87 million. The Clippers reportedly have made the former Duke star a five-year, $70 million offer, but the Golden State Warriors, who lost free-agent guard Baron Davis to the Clippers, are believed to have a five-year, $90 million deal on the table for Brand. The 6-8 Brand, a nine-year veteran, missed all but eight games last season after rupturing his left Achilles tendon. He averaged 17.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds. Carney, a second-year pro out of Memphis, played in 70 games, making six starts and averaging 5.8 points. The 6-11 Booth, a nine-year veteran from Penn State, saw action in 31 games and averaged only 0.8 points. Wednesday is the first day NBA teams officially can sign free agents, per collective bargaining agreement guidelines.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Iggy @ Jul 8 2008, 08:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes Brand! If this goes through, the Atlantic's going to be strong next year. NBA Champs, Bosh/JO Duo in Toronto, and a young, athletic and revamped Philly team.</div> KG, Bosh, JO and Brand in the same division.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jul 8 2008, 07:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Iggy @ Jul 8 2008, 08:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes Brand! If this goes through, the Atlantic's going to be strong next year. NBA Champs, Bosh/JO Duo in Toronto, and a young, athletic and revamped Philly team.</div> KG, Bosh, JO and Brand in the same division. </div> And New York with Eddy Curry!
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippe...0,7626268.story <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Elton Brand has reached a verbal agreement to sign a multiyear contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to an NBA source who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on player movements</div> Philly a contender?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Jul 8 2008, 09:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Nah, we don't got any more cap space Watch your back CK! </div> Haha I know, just as soon as the Celtics become the Champs, the Raptors have to get JO and the Sixers get Brand.
Its just sinking in, the kind of basketball I'm going to be watching on a regular basis this season. I'm amped. This only makes things harder for Toronto, but seeing forwards like KG, JO, Bosh, and Brand battle it out on a regular basis is going to be awesome. How much cap space would the Sixers have left if they complete this deal?
Well the 76ers wont have much depth, thats for sure. If Dalembert or Brand goes down they'll feel the impact.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jul 8 2008, 08:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How much cap space would the Sixers have left if they complete this deal?</div> Not sure. I believe we had 20 million dollars of cap space, a little bit more after the Carney trade. Brand will probably get paid 15 million his first year, I believe, so we should have about 5 million left. Keep in mind we also need to resign Iguodala and Williams as well. We're gonna be over the cap when it's all said and done.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lavalamp @ Jul 8 2008, 08:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well the 76ers wont have much depth, thats for sure. If Dalembert or Brand goes down they'll feel the impact.</div> I think you can say the same thing about all three of the top teams in the Atlantic.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jul 8 2008, 08:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Andre Miller, Iguodala, Dalembert, Brand + bunch of scrubs = contender? We're going to find out.</div> Sixers still have Louis Williams, Reggie Evans, Jason Smith, and THADDEUS YOUNG. Plus, free agency has just started, and with the Brand signing (assuming Iggy and Williams resign) we only have ten players under contract. We'll work something out. Depth isn't a strength, but it certainly isn't horrible by any means.
