Sixers cut ties to Brand: will sign Nick Young
The Sixers, not much of a player in free agency, will use the amnesty clause on forward Elton Brand, owed $18.2 million in the final year of his contract, and they reached agreement in principle to sign free-agent guard Nick Young to a one-year, $6 million deal, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Sixers cut ties to Brand: will sign Nick Young
The Sixers, not much of a player in free agency, will use the amnesty clause on forward Elton Brand, owed $18.2 million in the final year of his contract, and they reached agreement in principle to sign free-agent guard Nick Young to a one-year, $6 million deal, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
The amnesty clause allows the final year of Brand’s contract to come off of the Sixers’ salary cap. Teams below the salary cap will be permitted to bid for Brand’s services. The Sixers will pick up whatever the difference is that the team that signs Brand reaches an agreement with the player to pay him.
If no team picks Brand up, he will become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team.
Young, 6-7, is an athletic player who should help the Sixers at the offensive end, where they struggled. He averaged 14 points last season with Washington and the Clippers.
Neither deal can be consummated until July 11.
All I can say is wow!— Mattb- What's interesting is Young was only signed for a year. This says the Sixers don't see him as a long term piece. They are looking to use his money in next year's free agent market.
I'll be interested in seeing if they aggressively use Brand's cap space this year in a big trade or FA signing. If they don't make a major move it's just a hedge against the cap that allows for the re-signing of Hawes, Lou and the signing of Nick Young.— mtairy1 - Ersanity, or Ryan Anderson....Young really opened up when the Clippers went with Crawford..One year deal just retains flexibility..DC and Nick Young seems a bit like oil and water on the defensive side of the ball, but he can shoot light out...A second shooter up front could really make this team dangerous. — bearsfriend
- Agree that the next step will be the most telling, as they needed cap space for a shooter or shooters. They were presumably tired of waiting on LouWill and are now giving him a take it or leave it deal on the table. If Brand becomes an unrestricted free agent, they can sign him for much less for a year or two, which comes off the $18 million I believe and gives DC his veteran leadership. — chuckw
- Nets and Heat already pursuing EB, who can now be a "cost effective mentor". — bearsfriend
- Ahh damn, craigmack's post is correct. LouWill is tweeting that he's gone. "Philly I appreciate you all. Unfortunately I will not be coming back, as an organization they decided to move in a different direction."
- cus-I figured that,thanks for the tweet...It just gives one another boxscore to check daily. — bearsfriend
- bearsfriend: His twitter is blowing up. I sent a text but he's likely getting a ton of those also. LouWill-ville moves on. I'll cheer for him wherever he lands and I'll cheer for Nick Young here.
- cus:same here:the females in my family are PO'd, but I let them know Nick Young can fill it up...The Sixers however still need a "quick". — bearsfriend
- Surprising move by releasing EB who was DC's favorite. Now who will be the starting PF Thad or LaVoy? Hey Bear remember we talked awhile back that Nick Young would be a good addition. Too bad Nick's isn't more than 1 year. He was a knucklehead at time in Washington, but a definitely upgrade over Meeks. Now will he start at SG and will there be another surprising move by trading either ET or Iggy?— Manok
- The comments are piling up quicker than the National Debt...Manok, I actually love the one year deal as it keeps Nick Young "hungry" to prove his worth as more than a mercenary for hire...Gotta love his innate ability to shoot the ball, and I'm surprised he came back East,even after the clippers went with Crawford and Billups. — bearsfriend
- whooooooooo! this has to mean that we are going after ersnity, Ryan an, or the Humph.
Intersting to see if Doug cn tranform nick young into an all around player
Great news! amnestying Brand, means that atleast they will take a shot in FA to improve the team. and as a fan of a team stuck in NBA purgatory...thats really all i can ask for!
well done collins! cuz you know thorn aint done a damn thing— johnGiam - The Sixers played "rope a dope" this past week, as they waited for certain pending negotiations/offers...Now it's lefthand uppercuts and overhand rights. — bearsfriend
- That's perfectly put!!! We are throwing lefts and rights lol. About time we played possum. We can still get Brand and Lou back. Brand knows he's not worth 18 Mil this season. He's still on the radar, 1 to 2 year offers and we are good — Chuckfox3000
- Halle-frickin-lujah.— evolutionary
Keith Pompey has been an Inquirer reporter since September 2004. He takes over the Sixers beat after covering the Temple men’s basketball team for the past three years and Temple football the past two seasons. Pompey also previously covered the Penn and Drexel men’s basketball team and Villanova football team after initially focusing on high school sports.
Pompey is a native Philadelphian and a University of Pittsburgh. Follow him on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers or reach Keith at kpompey@phillynews.com.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
