Elton Brand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

And-Ones: Brand, Martin, D-League

December 11th, 2015 at 10:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers are now likely to look to add veterans to the roster for additional leadership now that Jerry Colangelo is officially a member of the front office, and one name to keep an eye on is veteran power forward Elton Brand, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com opines. The 36-year-old was pessimistic about his chances for playing a 17th season in the NBA back in August, when he told Al Coqueran of The Examiner News, “I could get in shape if I got the call but this looks like the end of the run for me, right now it is family time.” Brand made 36 appearances for the Hawks last season, averaging 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes of action per contest.

Here’s more from around the league:

Cartier Martin, who was cut by the Pistons during the preseason and is currently a member of the Grizzlies‘ D-League affiliate in Iowa, is expected to miss several months due to a wrist injury, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor relays (via Twitter).
Knicks combo forward Derrick Williams indicated that communication between he and coach Derek Fisher isn’t great, which is something he misses about George Karl, who took over as Kings coach late last season, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Williams appreciates the brief time he had under Karl, saying, “He’s a good coach. He wasn’t really tough like that. That was one game. He expects a lot of things out of me. I think that’s always good, when you have a coach that really expects things out of you, wants to bring out the best in you. Myself and him, we talked about it. It was no hard feelings with the quotes. That happens when a coach expects a lot of you. At the end of the day, he wasn’t too, too hard on me. He wanted the best out of me.“
The Grizzlies have assigned small forward James Ennis to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team announced. This will be Ennis’ third stint with the Energy on the season, as our D-League tracker shows.
The Mavericks have assigned Justin Anderson, Jeremy Evans and Salah Mejri to the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com relays (Twitter link). This is the second jaunt to the D-League on the season for both Anderson and Mejri, while Evans is making his initial trip.
Mitch McGary has been assigned to the Thunder‘s D-League affiliate, the team announced (on Twitter). This is McGary’s third assignment to the Blue on the season.
The Pacers have assigned Joe Young to their D-League affiliate in Fort Wayne, the team announced.

And-Ones: Brand, Nance, Wolves, Union

August 11th, 2015 at 2:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

Elton Brand struck a pessimistic tone about his chances to play again, in a remark that Al Coqueran of The Examiner News relays. “I could get in shape if I got the call but this looks like the end of the run for me, right now it is family time,” Brand said at a youth basketball camp this weekend in his native Peekskill, New York. Still, while the 36-year-old indicated that he hasn’t received an offer from an NBA team yet, won’t rule out a return for what would be a 17th NBA season, observes Jane Lerner of The Journal News. “We’ll see what happens,” Brand said.

While we wait to find out if Brand will be playing in any of the games that will go on the calendar when the NBA announces the regular season schedule Wednesday, there’s more from around the league:

The Lakers surprised Larry Nance Jr. when they made him a first-round pick, as Nance tells Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranked the Wyoming power forward the 46th-best prospect heading into the draft and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress had him at No. 64. “I was just hoping to hear my name called at all,” Nance said. “So to hear it called 27th overall by the Lakers, I was like, ‘Really? Really?!’ I had a sense of disbelief because it was just so crazy. I mean, I was just fighting to hear my name called at all and now I’m picked in the first round by the best franchise in history? I couldn’t have dreamt up a better scenario.”
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor doesn’t anticipate that coach/executive Flip Saunders will need to step away from his duties at any point this season, tweets Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Saunders remains in charge of the Wolves front office and as head coach in spite of a cancer diagnosis that the team revealed today.
A court dealt the National Basketball Players Association a setback Monday as it fights to dismiss a lawsuit that former executive director Billy Hunter brought against the union, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Hunter, who alleges wrongful termination, is seeking at least $10.5MM. The matter will proceed in Los Angeles Superior Court, where Hunter has previously received a favorable ruling, Berger notes.

And-Ones: Brand, Gordon, Knicks

August 9th, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Will Joseph

Free agent big man Elton Brand, 36, who’s contemplating retirement, told Jane Lerner of The Journal News that he has not received “the phone call,” and remains noncommittal toward his future. Brand, who played for the Hawks last season, had been connected to the Mavs earlier this summer.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Drew Gordon, who played mostly in the D-League and appeared in nine games with the Sixers last season, inked a deal with France’s Chalons-Reims, according to the team’s site (h/t Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The forward averaged 13 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game with the D-League’s Delaware 87ers. Gordon, 25, was waived by the Sixers in December.
Kristaps Porzingis, whom the Knicks drafted No. 4 overall, approved of the team’s signing of fellow European player Sasha Vujacic, a veteran and former member of the Lakers, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. “I played against him,’’ Porzingis said. “Very experienced. He’s a cold-blooded shooter. He doesn’t care. He loves the pressure. He’s great. Those situations will help the team in those important moments. For me, it will be great having him. His experience and being European, he can teach me a lot on how hard he works. He’s a hard worker.”

Mavs Target Tyler Hansbrough, Elton Brand

July 13th, 2015 at 5:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

Tyler Hansbrough and Elton Brand are among the big men the Mavericks are wooing as they continue to try to plug the hole left when DeAndre Jordan called off his plans to sign with the team, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dallas is also reportedly meeting with Samuel Dalembert and shares mutual interest in JaVale McGee, as long as his health checks out.

Rumors surrounding Hansbrough have been scarce this summer, though he started a pair of playoff games for the Raptors this past spring. The Jeff Schwartz client nonetheless spent much of the season on the outskirts of Toronto’s rotation, averaging career lows in points, rebounds and minutes per game.

The 36-year-old Brand, who’s contemplating retirement, appears unlikely to return to the Hawks, who renounced his rights. Like Dalembert, the David Falk client is an ex-Mav, having spent the 2012/13 season with Dallas. That was the last time he averaged more than 20 minutes per game.

The Mavs have plenty of cap room to sign any of the big men they’re targeting. Still, Dallas traded for Zaza Pachulia last week, so the team isn’t barren at the center position.

Southeast Notes: Dragic, White, Hawks

July 10th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

All five Southeast Division teams made official moves Thursday. Check out our transactions log for a full recap of the first day following the July Moratorium. Here’s more from around the division:

Goran Dragic never spoke with other teams during his free agency, tweets Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post. Dragic wanted to remain in Miami and believes in team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra, Lieser adds, and he was willing to give the Heat a discount to make it happen. “I could get more [money], but it doesn’t matter,” Dragic said, as Lieser relays (Twitter links). “The most important thing is that I’m happy, and I’m happy to be here and surrounded with all the coaches and all the players. I don’t want to be miserable on the court.”
The Wizards could receive an outside shooting boost this season from Aaron White, whom the team selected with the No. 49 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, writes Ben Standig of CSNWashington.com. Speaking about being drafted by Washington, White said, “I love this fit for me. Their style fits in my style. It should be a good match.“
The Hawks renounced their rights to Elton Brand and John Jenkins to clear cap space Thursday for their flurry of official moves, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. They also renounced DeMarre Carroll and Pero Antic, who’ve signed elsewhere, and Gustavo Ayon, whose rights they’d retained even though he signed a multiyear deal overseas this past September.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Southeast Rumors: Heat, Winslow, Harris, Brand

June 30th, 2015 at 2:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald (via Barry Jackson on Twitter) hears that the Celtics offered the Heat four first-round picks and two second-rounders for their No. 10 pick so that they could grab Justise Winslow. Instead, Miami stood pat and grabbed the Duke star, who many feel could wind up being the sleeper of the draft. Here’s more from the Southeast Division..

Magic forward Tobias Harris is looking for a max or near-max offer sheet since the salary cap is set to rise, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). If he gets a large enough offer, Kennedy adds, the Magic might not match. Harris, as expected, received a QO from Orlando earlier today.
The Hawks likely won’t re-sign Elton Brand, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Vivlamore anticipates that Mike Muscala, entering his third season, will have an increased role with Brand out of the picture.
More from Vivlamore, who tweets that the Hawks have announced that Kyle Korver will undergo surgery. The sharpshooter’s procedure will be done in New York by Dr. David Altchek.
Magic GM Rob Hennigan said it’s possible he will be “very active” in free agency, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Still, Robbins points out that Orlando is unlikely to jump into the mix for Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, or Kevin Love.
Janis Timma, whose NBA rights were traded to the Magic last week, has joined up with B.C. Zenit Saint Petersburg, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (on Twitter).
Mario Hezonja‘s buyout agreement calls for him to give $1.4MM to his former club, not ~$1.8MM as previously reported, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.net (on Twitter). In a chat with Robbins, agent Arn Tellem confirmed that the buyout for the Magic‘s top draft pick has been finalized.

Southeast Notes: Millsap, Skiles, Brand

May 28th, 2015 at 5:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hawks forward Paul Millsap, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, said that his shoulder won’t require surgery, just rest, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays (Twitter link). There have been reports that Millsap might need surgery to repair damage to his sprained right shoulder. Should the veteran ultimately require surgery, it is unclear how or if it would affect the market for the 30-year-old, who is expected to command a max salary or close to it on his next contract.

Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

New Mexico State guard Daniel Mullings worked out for the Heat today, his agent Matt Slan of Slan Sports Management tweeted.
With Scott Skiles reportedly the front-runner to become the Magic‘s next head coach, it had been noted that Skiles had a poor relationship with forward Tobias Harris when the two were with the Bucks. But sources have told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links) that there is no lingering issue between the two sides, and that Harris would like to continue to be a part of what the team is building. Harris can become a restricted free agent this summer if Orlando tenders him a qualifying offer.
Hawks big man Elton Brand said that he will take several weeks to decide if he will return to the NBA for his 17th season, or call it a career and retire, Vivlamore writes. “I’ll see if I [have] another year of trying to get prepared and what it takes to be on an NBA roster,” Brand said. “There is a lot of work you have to put in. … After two or three weeks, I’ll know. See if I have that itch. This time I might not and just lay back on the couch. We’ll see.” The 36-year-old appeared in 36 games for Atlanta this past season, averaging 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest.

Atlantic Notes: Love, Celtics, Brand, Raptors

April 28th, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

People around the Celtics were intrigued to hear of what had been Kevin Love‘s growing fondness for the team, and while the C’s plan to pursue him, they believe he’ll back with the Cavs for next season, a league source told Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. That was before Cavs GM David Griffin announced that Love will likely miss the rest of the playoffs and that surgery on his injured shoulder is a possibility. It’s unclear whether the Celtics will land Love or another star, but an active summer is surely ahead, as I wrote today in examining the Celtics offseason, and Murphy has more clues about what’s ahead for Boston amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

Jae Crowder and Jonas Jerebko are among the Celtics who want to re-sign with the team, Murphy notes in the same piece as he looks at the status of every player on the team’s roster. The Celtics are interested in keeping Crowder but haven’t decided on Jerebko or Brandon Bass, whose desire to remain in Boston is well–documented, as Murphy details.
The Knicks expressed their interest in Elton Brand to the big man immediately after free agency began last July, and he’d consider signing with them if they pursue him again this summer, the 36-year-old New York native tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Brand, who’s also pondering retirement, passed on a minimum-salary offer from the Knicks last year to sign a one-year, $2MM deal with the Hawks, as Berman details. Knicks team president Phil Jackson might have had more than Brand in mind last summer, since Brand’s agent, David Falk, also represents Greg Monroe, a rumored Knicks target, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Sportsnet’s Michael Grange views Kyle Lowry‘s comments about coach Dwane Casey on Monday as a rather tepid endorsement, though those who know the point guard tell Grange there wasn’t any hidden meaning and that there’s no tension between player and coach. GM Masai Ujiri offered praise for Lowry today but wouldn’t commit to bringing Casey back. Grange argues that Casey couldn’t have been expected to take the Raptors much farther.