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Brand banding Sixers

LOCKOUT OR NOT, Elton Brand is set to play basketball with his 76ers teammates. Brand helped organize a team workout scheduled for next week in Los Angeles and most of the key Sixers have told him they will attend. Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Lou Williams and others will fly in, play and work out together.

Elton Brand has organized a team workout in Los Angeles next week. (Matt Rourke/AP)
Elton Brand has organized a team workout in Los Angeles next week. (Matt Rourke/AP)Read more

LOCKOUT OR NOT, Elton Brand is set to play basketball with his 76ers teammates.

Brand helped organize a team workout scheduled for next week in Los Angeles and most of the key Sixers have told him they will attend. Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Lou Williams and others will fly in, play and work out together.

"I can't wait to see where the guys are at," Brand said. "I've been talking to them all summer. They seem to be in shape already in case we get this thing going."

The lingering, messy lockout has thrown doubt that training camp and the regular season will start on time. These loosely organized team activities - without any input or supervision from the coaching staff - are as close as the Sixers can get to a training camp without traveling to Philadelphia.

Brand attended an NBPA meeting this week in Los Angeles where the message from union leaders and superstars like Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce was a simple one: Stick together.

"I can't speak for the owners' side, but on the players' side, there's definitely a sense of urgency to meet and talk," Brand said.

Brand has assumed the role of de facto team player rep. Jason Kapono held the position last season, but is a free agent now. Brand keeps in touch with players association executive director Billy Hunter and keeps his teammates informed.

Brand said "it's tough to answer" if the Sixers really will open the season Nov. 2 in Toronto.

"I'll have a better feel closer to training camp," Brand said. "As of now, it doesn't look good. It doesn't look good at all. I don't think we're going to start with a normal training camp because the numbers are so far apart. But I think as training camp gets closer, we'll know more if we have to miss games."