Elton Brand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Brand, Ujiri, DeRozan

April 11th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The hiring of Bryan Colangelo and resignation of Sam Hinkie doesn’t signal “a departure from a process,” Colangelo insisted Sunday as the Sixers introduced him as their new president of basketball operations, as Christopher A. Vito for The Delaware County Daily Times observes. Colangelo nonetheless expects a “summer of change” for the roster, suggesting that with as many as four draft picks this year, all in the first round, the Sixers will consider parlaying some of that youth into more experienced talent. “You can only have so many developing players on your roster at a time, so there may be some decision to defer some of those to a future date, or may be a decision to package some of those things to acquire players that make sense and fit our strategy,” Colangelo said. “… It’s about putting a basketball team together. We’re really changing our focus toward winning. It’s part of a shift in culture, a mindset. I think [coach] Brett [Brown] is excited about shifting that. … There’s going to be a much-greater likelihood that we win basketball games.”

See more from Philadelphia amid news from the Atlantic Division:

Elton Brand, whose signing earlier this season was one of the team’s first moves away from developing players, thinks he’ll retire at season’s end, Vito notes (Twitter link). Brand, 37, also thought he’d retire this past summer before the Sixers came calling.
GM Masai Ujiri‘s contract with the Raptors is believed to be worth $15MM, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, so it appears the executive is seeing an average of $3MM annually on the five-year deal. Grange wonders whether the Raptors will explore restructuring the pact, which has two years left on it, now that the Knicks are reportedly eyeing him.
DeMar DeRozan admitted Sunday to a fondness for playing in Madison Square Garden, but he said he didn’t know whether he would consider the Knicks in free agency this summer, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Of course, it’s par for the course that a soon-to-be free agent would praise the Garden, and all indications are DeRozan will re-sign with the Raptors, as Grange points out, given the shooting guard’s consistent praise for Toronto and the organization.

Sixers Rumors: Saric, Brand, Embiid

March 5th, 2016 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers continue to receive signs that Croatian star Dario Saric will be part of their roster next season, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Player-development assistant Chris Babcock recently spent eight days with Saric, who is playing for Anadolu Efes in Turkey. The trip left Philadelphia officials confident that Saric is ready to join the NBA. “Obviously, decisions are going to have to be made on his part,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “But we like what we see and we believe he likes what he sees.” Philadelphia acquired the rights to the 6’10” power forward in a 2014 draft-day trade with Orlando.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

Elton Brand saw his first game action Friday since signing with the Sixers January 4th, writes Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. With injuries to Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel leaving Philadelphia short-handed, Brand played 13 minutes, scoring eight points and collecting four rebounds. “Contrary to reports, I was thinking I was going to play all season when I got here,” said Brand, who will turn 37 next week. “But you see guys like Carl [Landry], Richaun [Holmes], guys working so hard, I didn’t mind not playing.” Okafor and Noel are both listed as day-to-day, so it’s uncertain how much more court time Brand can expect.
Injured center Joel Embiid has returned from Qatar and participated in Friday’s pre-game workout, Bodner writes in the same piece. Embiid visited Aspetar, a Middle Eastern orthopedic and sports medicine hospital, to help with the rehab process on his surgically repaired right foot. Bodner included a video of Embiid’s pre-game routine with his story.
Embiid’s long recovery time presents another reason for concern, notes Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The normal recovery period for tarsal navicular surgery is six months, but GM Sam Hinkie has already said Embiid won’t be ready for summer league action, even though it will have been 11 months since the operation.

Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Ainge, Brand

February 6th, 2016 at 3:39pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics executive Danny Ainge is expected to be active leading up to this year’s trade deadline and would be willing to deal away significant assets, but only if it would land a “special player,” A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays. “It depends on the player and it depends on his age and it depends on the probability of us re-signing him,” Ainge said during an appearance on 98.5 the Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” show. “But most of the time I would say no, I would not give up [significant assets]. If you’re risking very little, it might be worth the risk. But I would never risk a lot for a small chance unless that player’s one of the top four or five players in the game.” Boston owns the Nets’ first-rounder in this year’s NBA draft, a pick that is likely to be in the top five. The team has reportedly been involved in recent trade talks with the Rockets regarding Dwight Howard and with the Nuggets about Danilo Gallinari.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks are going to attempt to upgrade their point guard position this offseason, but Kings playmaker Rajon Rondo likely won’t be the solution, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. At issue for Rondo is New York’s triangle offense, which isn’t a point guard dominated system, Begley notes. When asked if the Knicks were a possibility for him in the future, Rondo, who will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, said, “The triangle’s not really a good look for me, I don’t think.”
Elton Brand wound up with the Sixers because of his value as a leader, something that Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer says the veteran excels at being, writes Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He is going to bring [leadership to the 76ers] in multitudes of hundreds or thousands,” Budenholzer said. “He’s one of the most incredible leaders I’ve ever been around. And as a person. To have person like that in your locker room every day, in your practice every day, on your bench every day, I think it’s huge value. It was a move that made sense for both of them. For the organization, it’s a really smart move. For Elton, to decide he wanted to get back and help the Sixers organization and help these young players and give back speaks a lot to his character and what kind of guy he is.”

Atlantic Notes: Hernangomez, Powell, Canaan

February 4th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

There are a number of obstacles to navigate if the Knicks wish to sign 2015 draft-and-stash pick Guillermo Hernangomez for next season, Marc Berman of The New York Post notes. The big man intends to play for the Spanish national team and Olympic training camp occurs in July, which would prevent Hernangomez from participating in NBA summer league play, Berman writes. The Spanish league season runs until late June, which means the New York coaching staff won’t have much time to evaluate Hernangomez before needing to make a decision regarding his future, the Post scribe adds. “There’s a lot of variables that have to evolve,’’ Hernangomez’s agent, Andy Miller, said. “They [the Knicks] have to get through free agency and the draft and he has a long season. My perspective is I’d like to get him being here to train and develop sooner than later. It’s my job to balance it as an intermediary between the parties. Will the Knicks want him only if he plays summer league? There’s a lot of factors that can’t be answered now. It will get hectic.’”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

A rash of injuries have Raptors rookie Norman Powell seeing meaningful minutes for the team and the swingman is beginning to show promise now that he is getting settled in his new role, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star relays. “He’s getting more comfortable,” teammate DeMar DeRozan said of Powell. “Mainly [it’s] just trying to make everything easier on him so he doesn’t have to think so much. He’s got a good feel on the defensive and on the offensive end we just have to keep it simple for him.”
Isaiah Canaan is finding his niche as shooting guard for the Sixers after breaking into the league as a point guard, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “People may say I’m an undersized shooting guard,” Canaan said. “I just say I’m blessed with the ability to shoot the basket, and I can just run the point when they need me to.” Canaan, who can become a restricted free agent at season’s end if Philadelphia extends a qualifying offer, noted that he would love to re-sign with the team, Pompey adds.
Elton Brand has yet to see any game action for the Sixers since being signed on January 4th, but he understands his role is to be a mentor to the team’s younger players and embraces it, Pompey writes in a separate piece. “With me, I’m not trying to take anything away from the development of these young guys, getting these young guys looks,” said Brand. “I don’t mind. Whenever you need me, I’m ready.”

Sixers Notes: Brand, Wood, Smith

January 6th, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Elton Brand had mentally committed to retiring this summer, but the opportunity to make a positive impact on the Sixers’ young roster intrigued him, leading to his return to the NBA, Brian Seltzer of NBA.com writes. “It’s surreal,” Brand said about being back in the league. “A lot of fun. Came in, not too many expectations on the court. I did OK. I feel good about that.” Speaking about his potential retirement, Brand told Seltzer, “This chapter was done. I had made peace with it. I was honored and very thankful for the opportunity to be an NBA basketball player, especially for so long to have that longevity. So now, being out here again, I’ll make the best of it. I’m shooting corner three’s, I’m handling the ball, I’m doing everything. This is unexpected, so I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

“His mind is A-plus, and his purpose and our collective understanding of why he’s here is A-plus,” said Brown, who is thrilled to have Brand on the roster, Seltzer adds. “He understands where he can have the most value. And it’s pretty cool to have somebody like that around, with that resume, and that clear understanding of how he can help us and me the most. I just feel like when he speaks, I can tell already, he’s calculated on when he’s going to talk, and he knows that silence isn’t a bad thing. I’m sure he’s going to choose his place accordingly, and purposefully. But it is very cool for me to know his history, and to have him back in the program.”

Here’s more from out of Philadelphia:

The Sixers’ lack of quality point guards has hampered the offensive development of a number of the team’s younger players, something coach Brett Brown hopes the addition of Ish Smith can alleviate, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News. “I think everybody benefits from good, stable point guard play,” Brown said. ”Because what happens is it’s such a pick-and-roll league that you can find perimeter people out of that through a point guard. It’s such a pace system that we run that you can find runners, shooters like that. I think that you can hit rollers, because of that. The point guard just connects the dots all over the place. All over the place and there’s probably no team that would resonate that opinion more than we do with what we’ve all been through.”
Power forward Christian Wood has joined the Delaware 87ers, the Sixers’ D-League affiliate, after clearing waivers today, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor relays (via Twitter). The Sixers released Wood earlier this week to make room on the roster to ink Elton Brand.

Atlantic Notes: Brand, Smith, Love, Wroten

January 6th, 2016 at 10:01am CST by Chuck Myron

It wasn’t initially clear whether the Sixers wanted Elton Brand as a player or for a non-playing role with the organization instead, but coach Brett Brown likes having the 17th-year veteran in uniform, as John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com relays. Brand became just the second Sixers player older than 27 when Philadelphia signed him Monday.

“Because you wouldn’t believe what goes on at halftime when a coaching staff is in another room,” Brown said, explaining the value of having a veteran presence on the playing roster. “And you wouldn’t believe what goes on on the bench when you’re down 20. And you wouldn’t believe what goes on in a player’s mind when it’s a two-point game with a minute and a half left and ‘Do they know their assignments?’”

See more on the Sixers amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

Brown said earlier in the season that he felt it necessary to bear the responsibility that would normally go to veteran players, and just as Brand takes that burden off the Sixers coach, the acquisition of Ish Smith makes Brown’s job easier, too. Fellow CSNPhilly.com scribe Jessica Camerato has the details. “It allows me to coach less, which is good. I mean it,” Brown said. “There’s nothing worse than sitting on the sideline feeling like you’ve got to run the whole game, calling the play every single [time] — that’s not how I see the game. So when you’re playing with that pace, as long as you feel like you’ve got the right people on the floor and the spacing is the way that you want, then you let the game flow. I feel like he brings that to me, for me.”
The Celtics thought Kevin Love was legitimately interested in their organization, coach Brad Stevens, and the city of Boston before he chose to re-sign with the Cavs this past summer, Celtics team sources told MassLive’s Jay King. Isaiah Thomas, appearing on “The Vertical” podcast with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (audio link via Twitter), said that he tried to recruit Love to the Celtics, “but I think he already had his mind made up,” Thomas said of his former AAU teammate.
The Knicks reportedly have interest in Tony Wroten, but the former Sixers combo guard is unlikely to wind up in New York, and he’s looking for someplace where he feels he has a better opportunity to stay for the long term, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.

Eastern Rumors: Sixers, Grant, Oladipo

January 5th, 2016 at 8:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers reached out to retired shooting guard Jason Richardson prior to their signing of big man Elton Brand, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Hawks waived Richardson, who played 19 games with the Sixers last season, in late September after signing him to a non-guaranteed, one-year deal the previous month. But Brand was the team’s top target to fill its leadership void, a move that was orchestrated by new chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo, Pompey adds.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Knicks coach Derek Fisher hasn’t lost faith in point guard Jerian Grant, despite the rookie’s decline in playing time, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Grant received a three-game benching last month and played sparingly in others until his 24-minute outing against the Hawks on Sunday, his longest appearance since November 15th. “There’s a lot of good things about him,” Fisher told the team’s beat writers. “That’s why he’s here, and we believe in him. …We still believe in who he is. We’re still invested in him. We like his future.”
Victor Oladipo returned to the starting lineup against the Pistons on Monday, a change that would have happened even if point guard Elfrid Payton didn’t sit out with an ankle injury, Magic coach Scott Skiles told the assembled media, including Hoops Rumors. The team had shown serious defensive slippage, Skiles indicated, “so it makes sense to put my best defensive player back out there. [Offensively] it’s a tough balance for a player as talented as him — whether to dribble, drive, do things like that, or if the ball movement is more important for our team. You play better when the ball is moving around, so they’re not easy decisions. But we need him to be aggressive.”
Stanley Johnson needs to improve his shooting but that won’t lead to a reduction in minutes, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said during a Monday press conference that included Hoops Rumors. The rookie small forward has been a fixture in Van Gundy’s rotation since opening night, averaging 21.2 minutes, despite shooting 37.8% from the field. “I’d certainly like to see him shoot the ball better,” Van Gundy said. “I know he’d like to shoot the ball better but it’s not something I worry a whole lot about.”

And-Ones: McCalebb, Looney, Chandler

January 4th, 2016 at 10:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bo McCalebb, who was cut by the Pelicans during the preseason, has signed with the French club Limoges CSP, the team announced (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). McCalebb, 30, has played overseas since going undrafted in 2008, save for a summer league stint with the Kings in July of that year and his time this fall with the Pelicans. He was the top scorer in the Euroleague in 2011/12, notching 16.9 points per game for Siena of Italy. McCalebb played for FC Bayern Muenchen of Germany last season, when he averaged 4.8 assists per game to go along with 12.4 points in 25.7 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from around the league:

In light of the season-ending injury that point guard Eric Bledsoe suffered, the Suns need to focus on developing younger players like Devin Booker, T.J. Warren and Alex Len, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM writes. Phoenix should consider trading center Tyson Chandler, whose signing made sense when the team was pursing LaMarcus Aldridge over the summer, but now the veteran only serves to cut into Len’s playing time, Tjarks adds.
The Warriors have assigned combo forward Kevon Looney to their D-League affiliate, the team announced via a press release. The rookie becomes the first player Golden State has sent to Santa Cruz on the season.
Sixers coach Brett Brown noted that new team executive Jerry Colangelo was the one who orchestrated the signing of veteran forward Elton Brand, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports relays (on Twitter).
The Raptors plan on utilizing their D-League affiliate to help Anthony Bennett work through the back issues he is currently experiencing, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net tweets. The combo forward has made two trips to the Raptors 905 on the season thus far.

Sixers Sign Elton Brand

January 4th, 2016 at 12:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

12:48am: The sigining is official, the team announced via press release.

11:45am: Brand confirms that he’ll sign with the Sixers in a piece written for Sports Illustrated’s “The Cauldron” blog, noting that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski helped convince him to return to play. “I’m not coming here to hold Jahlil [Okafor]’s hand — or anyone else’s, for that matter — because that’s not what he needs,” Brand wrote in part. “But I do believe my experience and wisdom can benefit him and my other young teammates. It’s about communicating with them like men, starting to grow together, and — hopefully, eventually — winning some ballgames. That’s what Sam Hinkie and I talked about when he approached me about joining the team, and what has me so excited about this opportunity.”

The Sixers are reportedly waiving Christian Wood to make room for Brand, as we detail here.

10:40am: The Sixers plan to sign Elton Brand today, league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). It’s not clear what sort of deal Brand will end up with, though it could be a 10-day contract if the sides hold off until Tuesday. TNT’s David Aldridge first reported last month that the Sixers were talking with the former No. 1 overall pick, though it wasn’t clear whether it was about a playing, coaching or front office role. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com identified Brand, who turns 37 in March, as a name to keep an eye on with new chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo seemingly poised to add veterans. Philadelphia has 15 players already, so it would appear a corresponding move will be necessary.

Brand hinted over the summer that he was ready to retire, though he didn’t commit to the idea. He spent the past two seasons as a reserve on the Hawks, but he indicated in August that neither Atlanta nor another NBA team had made him an offer for this season.

The Sixers had Brand for four seasons before waiving him via amnesty in the summer of 2012. The Mavs soon thereafter submitted a partial claim to snag him off amnesty waivers. Philadelphia wasn’t eligible to bring him back while his amnestied contract was still in effect, but it expired in 2013.

Philadelphia has nine fully guaranteed contracts, though the Sixers haven’t been reluctant to waive guaranteed salaries of late, with Tony Wroten‘s Christmas Eve release the latest example. T.J. McConnell and Christian Wood have partially guaranteed salaries but have already earned more than their partially guaranteed amounts, meaning the Sixers wouldn’t owe them any more if they waived them today. Robert Covington, JaKarr Sampson, Ish Smith and Hollis Thompson have non-guaranteed salaries, though none of them appear to be likely waiver candidates.

Do you think Brand is the right veteran influence for the Sixers? Leave a comment to tell us.

Sixers Talk With Elton Brand, Shane Battier

December 14th, 2015 at 12:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers are talking to Elton Brand and Shane Battier in the hopes they can serve as role models for the team’s slew of younger players, sources tell TNT’s David Aldridge, who writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. It’s unclear whether the idea is for them to serve in a playing, coaching or front office capacity. Battier retired as a player after the 2013/14 season, while Brand, who spent the past two seasons with the Hawks, cast doubt on the idea of playing again during an interview this past summer. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com identified Brand on Friday as someone to keep an eye on as the team looks for veterans to add to its roster.

New chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo dismissed the idea that son Bryan Colangelo, the former Suns and Raptors GM, will join the Sixers front office, telling Aldridge that it’s mere speculation. Still, the team does plan to bring aboard Mike D’Antoni as an assistant coach, Aldridge writes.

Former commissioner David Stern played a role in bringing the Sixers together with Jerry Colangelo, a source tells Aldridge. The NBA was “irate” at the way the Sixers handled the reports of Jahlil Okafor‘s various off–court incidents, according to Aldridge. GM Sam Hinkie treated the news with his trademark silence.

“I would say I was present when decisions were made, but there are some things we can do better,” Hinkie said. “We purposely laid low, and I purposely laid low, for a number of reasons. And I’ve always been very comfortable, and [coach] Brett [Brown]‘s been very comfortable, being out front for us when need be, because we trust each other, and we’re attached at the hip in a lot of ways. But sometimes, another voice helps.”

Brand, a David Falk client who spent four years with the Sixers between 2008 and 2012, averaged 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game for a 60-win Atlanta team last season. This past spring represented the first time the former No. 1 overall pick appeared in the conference finals. Battier, a client of Jim Tanner, went to the finals in all three of his years with the Heat, with whom he last played, and twice won the championship. He averaged 4.1 points in 20.1 minutes and shot 34.8% from 3-point range in his final season on an NBA roster.