WOW-Brand to sign with 76ers

[IlliniVikeFan23]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AlbbXlGamSXy1MDMLO6Uk5K8vLYF?slug=aw-brandsixers070708&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

In a dramatic ending to a whirlwind courtship, Elton Brand is on the brink of spurning the Los Angeles Clippers and signing a five-year, $80 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a source familiar with the negotiations said.

Brand can’t officially sign with 76ers until 12:01 EST on Wednesday, but Sixers officials are privately telling peers around that league that Brand has convinced them he’s coming to play in Philadelphia.

The Los Angeles Times first reported Brand had made a verbal commitment to sign on Tuesday night.

As Yahoo! Sports reported Tuesday afternoon, Brand had been swayed the 76ers’ way on Tuesday and dismissed a late push by the Clippers to return to his Eastern roots. After angering Brand by refusing to raise its initial offer upon his opt-out last week, Philadelphia GM Ed Stefanski deftly created more cap space to accommodate the Sixers’ offer.

Now, Brand, one of the league’s elite power forwards, joins Sam Dalembert and Andre Iguodala to give Philadelphia a formidable frontline. The Sixers are suddenly candidates to move into the upper echelon of the conference. As for the Clippers, this turned out to be one more disaster in a history of them.

So much for the Baron and Brand Show. So much for the Clippers returning to relevance in Los Angeles.

Brand, 29, had been expected to return to the Clippers after opting out of $16.4 million in the final year of his contract, especially once Golden State’s Baron Davis agreed to join him in Los Angeles. Yet, Brand waited for Stefanski to create more cap space for him – which he did on Monday night by dumping two contracts on Minnesota – and it wasn’t long until the Sixers were confident they could lure Brand.

What had come to hurt the Clippers’ chances of retaining Brand has been the organization’s refusal to offer anything but a “take-it-or-leave-it” deal since Golden State made its $90-plus million offer. People close to Brand say that “it pissed him off,” and made him question his original desire to stay a Clipper.

This is a devastating blow to the Clippers, who had believed Brand when he said he would stay for less money should they bring a talented teammate to join him. Golden State has offered the most money, but Brand, who missed all but eight games a year ago with a knee injury, had been intrigued with returning to his Eastern roots. Now, it appears he’ll do just that.

[Matt McGuire]

What an idiot. Why would he rather play for Philly over LA? How can he pass up playing with B-Diddy?

Huge loss for my Clipps....not happy at all.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

Man, that is kind of a betrayel. He says I'm opting out so you have more money to sign somebody and then he doesn't resign.

80 million? That's it? Why wouldn't he go to GS for 90 million?

The East is better suited for his style of play and the 6'ers are an up and coming team. He also has a better chance at winning the championship.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3479059

The Philadelphia 76ers have apparently won the Elton Brand free-agent sweepstakes.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that Brand has informed the Sixers that he will accept a five-year deal worth an estimated $82 million and spurn what was presumed to be a slam-dunk return to the Los Angeles Clippers to hook up with Clipper-to-be Baron Davis.

The Sixers cannot formally sign Brand before midnight, with Wednesday serving as the first day NBA teams can officially complete signings and trades after the lifting of a leaguewide moratorium, which began July 1.

But Philadelphia has secured Brand's verbal commitment, sources said, after first reaching an agreement in principle with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a trade that, according to sources, will send Sixers forward Rodney Carney, center Calvin Booth and a future first-round pick to the Wolves without Philadelphia having to take back any salary. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the Sixers will receive a future second-round pick in return.

That trade will shave nearly $3 million off the Sixers' payroll next season and increase what was already substantial salary-cap space, positioning them to sign Brand to a five-year deal believed to be starting in the $14-15 million range per year. Exact figures are expected to be available later Tuesday evening when the league reveals next season's salary-cap figure to its 30 teams and the media.

Said one source close to the process: "Elton wants to go east."

Another source had described Brand as leaning "70-30" in favor of going to the Sixers and didn't rule out the possibility that the Clippers could still increase their five-year offer beyond the latest estimate of roughly $75 million. The Clippers are also the only team in the running with the ability to offer a no-trade clause to Brand, something that only one other player in the league -- Staples Center co-tenant Kobe Bryant -- has in his contract.

Philadelphia's shedding of two salaries to set up a major free-agent signing is reminiscent of the move made by Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 1996, when then-Lakers personnel chief Jerry West sent Anthony Peeler and George Lynch to the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, creating the cap space that made it possible for L.A. to sign Shaquille O'Neal away from Orlando.

Getting Brand away from the Clippers might not quite have a Shaq-sized impact on the Sixers, but it would be an undeniable coup for Philadelphia on a variety of levels.

Brand is the proven power player Philadelphia clearly lacks on an otherwise promising roster that won many admirers as last season progressed. The Sixers extended Detroit to six games in a first-round series more competitive than many anticipated, and if they can formally secure Brand's signature, would be adding a two-time All-Star to veterans Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, top youngsters Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, and the considerable wingspan of Samuel Dalembert at center.

A move to the East would also come with on- and off-court benefits for Brand, sending him to a conference with far fewer title contenders and moving him closer to his East Coast-based family with Brand and his wife expecting their first child this fall.

If Brand indeed goes through with his apparent intent to join the Sixers, such an outcome is bound to be widely branded as a shocker after he and agent David Falk announced last week that Brand was opting out of the final year of his previous contract (worth $16.4 million) to give the Clippers more payroll flexibility to strengthen the team around Brand. Within 24 hours, L.A. responded on the first day of free agency by reaching a verbal agreement with Davis in what easily ranks as the biggest free-agent coup in Clippers history.

Brand told ESPN.com on June 30 that his "intention is to stay" with the Clippers, while Falk spoke optimistically of Brand signing a deal to "finish his career with the Clippers" if the team could make another significant personnel acquisition or two. ESPN.com reported late last week that Davis was the player Brand specifically asked Clippers management to chase in June.

During the ensuing week, while L.A. has been trying to convince its 29-year-old franchise forward to stay, Brand has also been weighing an offer from the Golden State Warriors believed to be worth more than what the Clippers or Sixers can offer him. After Davis informed the Warriors that he was leaving the Bay Area to sign a five-year deal worth an estimated $65 million with his hometown Clippers, Golden State responded by presenting Brand with a five-year offer worth an estimated $90 million.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

Expect the Clippers to make a run at Josh Smith now.

[Matt McGuire]

We have to make a run at someone. Can't keep Brand or Maggette...brutal.

[fivas14]

Man, that is kind of a betrayel. He says I'm opting out so you have more money to sign somebody and then he doesn't resign.

80 million? That's it? Why wouldn't he go to GS for 90 million?

The East is better suited for his style of play and the 6'ers are an up and coming team. He also has a better chance at winning the championship.

Philly > GS, LAC

[Matt McGuire]

Philly isn't better than GS...prolly better than LAC right now though.

[fivas14]

Philly isn't better than GS...prolly better than LAC right now though.

Philly is 10 x the team as GS.

GS has no point, or solid PF.

They'll be lucky to win 35 games next season.

[Matt McGuire]

Al Harrington is a solid PF. The Warriors have a ton of young talent, if a few of their young players break out they could be scary.

[fivas14]

Al Harrington is a solid PF. The Warriors have a ton of young talent, if a few of their young players break out they could be scary.

Al rarely started last season. They don't play defense and Maggs is one of the worst defensive players in the league.

[Matt McGuire]

Maggs is a very solid offensive player and rebounder.

Who do the Sixers have? Iggy and Brand. That's it. No bench either other than Thaddeus Young.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

The Sixers are no doubt better than GS. They could actually be the 4th best team in the east next year with this Brand signing.

[IlliniVikeFan23]

My prediction: GS trades for Kirk Hinrich.

[Walter]

Maggs is a very solid offensive player and rebounder.

Who do the Sixers have? Iggy and Brand. That's it. No bench either other than Thaddeus Young.

Andre Miller is the best player on the team.