13.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.55 bpg, 44.7% shooting.
That will be Elton Brand’s final line for his first season with the Sixers as the team has announced that he will be out for the rest of the season following shoulder surgery.
Looks like we are going to have to wait another year to see if he can mesh with this team, but what will the team even look like when he gets back?
We are right back where we started…
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You beat me to it Pete.
It is a shame. I was really looking forward to the 76ers trying to either build better around or move him this season, and not just for that, he is a good guy and it sucks when people get injured and have to go through surgery. Best of luck to him, and the Sixers.
Good! I will write up something more later but I pretty much said here that they should shut him down for a few reasons.
And I thought the Allen jumper hurt. This is even more deflating.
I guess time to focus on developing Speights (and maybe also time to say goodbye to a very good player in Andre Miller.)
I’m disappointed we probably will never know if this teams starting five that entered the season could have really meshed and made an impact in the playoffs. Assuming Miller is gone its back to the drawing board.
Everyone seems to be forgetting that realistically, the addition of Brand should have maybe taken us to the 2nd Round this year, nothing more. He was never considered a savior. Just a piece to help get us better. When we signed him we were about 3 years out from competing for a title. We still are. At least he won’t inflict anymore wear and tear on his body this season.
Trade Miller for a young point guard or shooting guard and picks (I’d love Kyle Lowry somehow). Develop Speights and Young. Go in the tank and put yourself in a position to draft one of Jennings, Teague, Budinger, Stephen Curry, or Paddy Mills. Get Brand the treatment he needs. Give DiLeo a whole off-season with this team.
We will be fine guys. Let’s just have fun this season.
Brand and Nelson are doing the right thing. Remember what happened to Wade when he came back from the shoulder injury during the season, he was ineffective and ended up having the surgery in the offseason. It is best for Brand to get ready for next season. The team, luckily, has frontcourt depth and has made the playoffs without him last season. Once Brand is healthy, teams better beware in the East.
Brand being out for the season doesn’t make the Sixers better, unless, you are a fan satisfied with winning a few games here and there or because you like the Sixers version of showtime. My ultimate is to see the Sixers win another championship. Anything less than that is a failure.
The Brand signing was all about going deep into the playoffs. Not going to happen now, no chance, no way. Speights can score but doesn’t rebound or D up as well as Brand. Evans is Evans and Sammy is Sammy. The only positive without Brand is the continued developement of Speights. Otherwise this years ROI for Brand equals a net loss.
Well, now Ed must make the AMiller decision without his fully loaded team(Not that Elton has helped up to this point). What to do? AMiller seems to step up in these situations. We”ll see. Will be interesting…….
The one positive I can see here is that this particular injury and surgery should not unduly hamper Elton’s ability to continue to rehab and strengthen the Achilles. If he had hurt his knee, ankle, etc., there would be the double whammy of dealing with the new injury while being required to stay off his feet. At least in this situation, he should be able work on strengthening the Achilles pretty hard, and hopefully that can help restore some of the bounce and explosiveness he appeared to lack this season.
To add irony to injury… Amare semi-officially hit the trade market today. the Sixers were a dime short and a year early. No question Amare would be the perfect PF for this team (other than his attitude.)
well you could see that coming a mile away!!
Options for starting lineups…
#1
PG: Miller
SG: Green
SF: Iguodala
PF: Young
C: Dalembert
#2
PG: Miller
SG: Green
SF: Iguodala
PF: Speights
C: Dalembert
#3
PG: Miller
SG: Iguodala
SF: Young
PF: Speights
C: Dalembert
Which works best?
Dan: I have just given you a cyber “Saved by the Bell” high five, as your comment is exactly how I feel. To me, after retaining Brand I saw us as, tops, a 2nd round playoff team, where this would be the year to “tweak” our offense, find chemistry, and start finding ourselves and turn into a defensive beast. I thought the 09-10 and 10-11 seasons were where we might be able to do real damage, with Boston’s big 3 probably gone by then, and Detroit slowly fading…leading Orlando, Cleveland, us, and the Wizards as the top dogs in the East (note: these were my thoughts before the season).
One big (and only) positive about Brand: Let’s remember this injury has nothing to do with his original, MUCH more serious injury, the achilles tendon in the knee. I figured it would take a whole year for Brand to get 100% coming off this injury, no matter what health he “claimed” to be at. Getting to 100% involves getting the timing of the game back, getting in hardcore game shape, re-strengthening the muscles of his leg, and most importantly…TRUSTING the knee, and getting good lift with it.
He was still in this process when the shoulder injury happened…and the one plus I can see is that while he’s rehabbing the shoulder injury, he will still be able to do LOTS of cardio. I think Brand should make it a goal to burn every ounce of fat off his body and get in 110% ridiculous shape as far as endurance goes in the next half year. It will help him run with us, it’ll help him trust his leg more, and it will help him cut down the timing needed to get his “game rust” out, as he’ll at least have the energy and endurance to go with right from the start of the season.
In the meantime, it’ll allow us to evaluate Iguadala, Speights, Young, Lou and the gang, and really see what we like/don’t like…clear up the PG situation (keep Andre and resign to frontloaded short term deal, trade him away for draft picks/stop gap veteran, let him go and take the cap space)…possibly use Iggy or Thad as bait for a true SG…see what interest people might have in combo’s of Lou/Evans…etc.
Pslade: Didn’t see your post…sounds like we are saying the same type of things. Achilles is so serious I’m thankful for the extra time Brand will have in being able to make sure he’s REALLY ready to go.
I think Brand’s supbar play has made people forget how good he is when he is 100% healthy and energized. Let’s cross our fingers and hope he gets back to that ‘06 Clippers season form.