Shooting Down A Brand Rumor
Despite a comment by Chad Ford during an ESPN.com chat session, the 76ers are not making Elton Brand available on the trade market.
Shooting Down A Brand Rumor
HOUSTON--The response by ESPN.com's Chad Ford to a chat session question all but jumped off the Internet. Elton Brand, the player the 76ers signed for five years and $79.8 million, was available on the trade market? Already?
Ford: "From what my sources around the league are saying, Brand is available. The question is, given how poorly he's played this year and his huge contract, does anybody want him?''
My comment: Calm down. While Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski said he does not comment on rumors, a source familiar with the Sixers situation said that Ford's premise is incorrect, that Stefanski had not contacted anyone about Brand, that the chat session comment had no legs.
The source also said that, if Brand's name did come up in conversations with other teams--and that's not necessarily the case, either--it might have been teams inquiring about Brand's rehab process after suffering a dislocated right shoulder Dec. 17. At the same time, team executives are constantly trying to gauge the value of their players around the NBA. That's just the nature of the business.
All Stefanski would say was: ''I think it's early, and Elton is just trying to fit in. He's been lively defensively. He's just trying to feel his way.''
Coach Tony DiLeo's plan is to again bring Brand off the bench tonight against the Houston Rockets in the Toyota Center/ This will be Brand's third appearance after missing 16 games. He played 13 minutes against the New York Knicks and 18 minutes against the New Orleans Hornets.
DiLeo said he does not have a specific timetable for when Brand would resume his role as the starting power forward.
''We don't have it in mind that he'll go back to starting after three games or four games or anything like that,'' DiLeo said. ''When it's time, it'll show itself.''
Comment removed.
Trade Elton Brand for Amare Stoudemire....RIGHT NOW!!!!— jaydes- Trade Elton Brand for Amare Stoudemire....RIGHT NOW!!!!— jaydes
- Jaydes, that's a great idea. Hopefully, Stefanski can call Steve Kerr right after a head injury when he doesn't know what he is agreeing to. Might as well trade Igoudala for Kobe while we are wheelin and dealin— Captain
- The chat session rumour may have no legs, but neither does Brand. Its Chris Webber deja vu; a past-his-prime, damaged-goods "star" that fans know mostly by reputation since he plays on the West Coast comes to the Sixers with great expectations, only to disappoint when it becomes clear he's no longer the player he once was. I don't get paid to stay up until 1:00 am watching West Coast NBA games, but shouldn't the GM of a franchise know better. Presumably, they actually watch other team's games, right?— CMI
- My favorite billboard is the 2008-09 SIXERS' "Run With Us" sign. It has only Brand's picture on it. It's kind of ironic since they can't seem to "run" with him in the line-up. Is it just me or is that just too funny/ironic?— J C
- A HUGE mistake by the Sixers (Wrong Brand!). His style does not fit in at all with the Sixers' strength. Smith from the Hawks would have been a much better fit. Too bad as Stefanski seems willing but this signing was a poor fit from the beginning!— Irish Frank
- Comment removed.
- give Brand away as long as they pay his salary— lawrence2465
- mike mike not bad but we don't have cap space— lawrence2465
- mike mike not bad but we don't have cap space— lawrence2465
- mike mike not bad but we don't have cap space— lawrence2465
- Webber and Brand perfect analogy[too old to rock and roll to young to die].stefanski should be fired for such stupidity— lawrence2465
- jaydes great idea. Maybe we can trade Brand for Stoudemire, Miller for Chris Paul, Igoudala for Kobe, Dalembert for Dwight Howard and why stop there we might be able to get away with a T. Young for LeBron. How much you want to bet though that even if they did do all of these trades people would be complaining about not having a deep bench.— Nothing but the truth
- El Presidente Ed is gonna need to work out this issue. Anyone have Billy King's cell number????— Grazman
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
