76ers are structuring offer for Elton Brand
Posted by cenaysbf on July 9, 2008
The Philadelphia 76ers are structuring a contract offer for free-agent forward Elton Brand that will extend into the five years and $80-million range, according to NBA sources who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak about player movements.
The 76ers are just the latest team to join the bidding frenzy for Brand, joining the Clippers and Golden State Warriors, who have already made five-year offers for Brand, according to the sources. The 76ers cleared salary cap space today when they traded forwards Rodney Carney and Calvin Booth and a future No. 1 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that has yet to be officially announced, but was first reported by Yahoo.com.
If Brand does not accept the deal, the 76ers are then expected to make a similar pitch to restricted free-agent forward Josh Smith, although the numbers are unlikely to reach as high as Brand’s figures, according to the sources.
The NBA’s moratorium is expected to be lifted tonight with next year’s salary cap forecasted at around $58.5 million, sources said. Teams are able to sign free agents on July 9.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have yet to hear from Brand or his agent David Falk today, according to the sources.
Brand has not been reached for comment since he opted out of the final season of his Clippers contract last week. He flew to Washington D.C. to meet with Falk last week and had a medical checkup with Dr. Craig Morgan in Wilmington, Del., the sources said.
Brand missed all but eight games last season with the Clippers because of a ruptured Achilles.
“If somebody asked me whether he’d be healthy or had any ongoing fears, I would say no [it's not a problem],” Morgan said today.
When Brand opted out of the final year of his Clippers’ contract last week, he said Philadelphia would be one of the desirable alternatives. The move would put him back on the East Coast, where he grew up and went to college, with a team that has a strong nucleus of young players.
The Clippers’ verbal contract agreement with free-agent point guard Baron Davis is not expected to be altered by Brand’s decision, according to the sources.
The Clippers have offered Brand, 29, a five-year, $70-million contract, which is expected to be the highest they can go while still signing Davis.
Contrary to other reports, the Clippers cannot offer Brand a sixth year in their offer, according to an NBA source who is not authorized to speak about player issues. In order for the Clippers to create enough salary cap space to land Davis the team had to renounce their rights to Brand, thus forfeiting the possibility of tacking on another year, leaving it with the hope of re-signing Brand to a maximum of five years.
Last week the Warriors also tendered Brand a five-year, $90-million offer.
