Here, new Sixers season-ticketholders can get a jersey signed by Brand.

There, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said this isn't what he signed up for.

Dunleavy said yesterday that the circumstances around which Brand left the Clippers as an unrestricted free agent to sign a 5-year contract with the Sixers represented "the strangest and most shocking" experience in his career.

Dunleavy said he had a verbal agreement with Brand that the 6-8 power forward, who opted out of a remaining season at $16.44 million, would remain with the Clippers for 5 years and $70 million. Brand instead made a decision to sign with the Sixers for 5 years and what has been confirmed as $79.8 million.

"People around the league who know me know I tell the truth," Dunleavy said in a telephone conversation yesterday. "And in this case, too many people know the truth. We had a verbal agreement at $70 million. A verbal agreement is not binding, I know that. Just come back and say, 'I changed my mind.' Just say it. Nobody can do anything about it."

David Falk, in a separate telephone conversation, said that he - as the registered agent for Brand - had not reached any agreement with Dunleavy or the Clippers. He also said that, by rule, any discussions about Brand should have been with him, regardless of whether Brand made the initial move.

"To say that we had a verbal agreement is absolutely, categorically not true," Falk said. "We had one discussion. I never committed to anything. They're embarrassed that they lost him."

Later, Falk said, "Let me be crystal clear - I never had a deal."

Dunleavy denied that the Clippers' offer of $70 million was in any way an "ultimatum," as Brand and Falk indicated on Wednesday. He said the only ultimatum had to do with whether Brand was going to opt out of his existing contract.

"Our owner said he didn't feel comfortable with that kind of contract based on [Brand] coming back from an Achilles' tendon injury," Dunleavy said. "We said we could extend him from where he was, he could opt out and we could make a new deal or he could stay with the deal he had. We were told we'd lose him for nothing, and I said I'd rather have him for 1 year and have him play great, and if he leaves, he leaves."

Falk said that in the weeks leading up to the July 1 start of free agency, he had discussions with the Clippers about a possible extension for Brand. He said the Clippers' offer was for 5 years and $60 million, which included what would have been this season's salary of $16.44 million, and that, "we rejected that out of hand."

Dunleavy said Brand had come to him.

"I've never been closer to a player," Dunleavy said. "He said, 'I want $15 million a year and you spend some money on a free agent.' I took that to the owner [Donald Sterling], and with some persuasion he said OK. I went to Elton and said 'Done.' But when I spoke to Falk about it, I realized Falk knew nothing about this, that Elton hadn't told him. I have a text message from Elton saying we're good to go."

By then, Baron Davis had opted out of his contract with Golden State, and was showing interest in the Clippers.

"Five days ago, we got our deal up to $75 million," Dunleavy said. "When we heard Philly had made a deal with Minnesota [to add $2.8 million in cap space], I said, 'We can get to $81 million if we cut guys, but I thought you wanted a good team.' I never heard back from them, although they've acknowledged they got the message. I delivered everything Elton ever asked me. I give [Falk] credit; he steered [this] the way he wanted it."

Falk said that, by the time the Clippers raised their offer, he and Brand had made a commitment to the Sixers.

Postscript: The Clippers signed Davis to a 5-year contract worth $65 million. They lost free agent Corey Maggette to Golden State. They had a face-to-face meeting with Atlanta's Josh Smith, the restricted free agent the Sixers courted. They renounced players Dan Dickau, Shaun Livingston, Boniface Ndong, Smush Parker and James Singleton.

There are, clearly, varying versions of all that went on. But, bottom line, they lost Elton Brand.

"We wish Elton the best," Dunleavy said.

"The best thing to say," Falk said, "is that this is the Elton Brand era in Philadelphia." *