Sure Elton Brand’s five-year $79 million deal sounds like a steep price, but it’s already paying huge dividends in the Sixers’ ticket office. Maybe people in Philadelphia don’t realize that while Brand will give you 20 and 10, it’s not all that pretty. His grunt work didn’t put asses in seats in Hollywood, but maybe Philly will appreciate a blue collar workhorse.
Brand has already had an impact at the box office. Since signing, the Sixers had sold 550 season-ticket packages as of late Thursday afternoon, according to a team spokesman.
Fans purchasing new season tickets through July 31 will receive a free autographed Brand jersey.
Last August, Brand ruptured his ACL and spent the better part of 10 months quietly rehabbing. Now, his No. 42 jersey is flying off the shelves in the greater Philadelphia area, he’s put a Sixers/Celtics rivalry back on the map, and he’s at the center of a finger-pointing battle with Mike Dunleavy as to whether he went back on his word of playing in Los Angeles after opting out of his contract.
In recent memory, has there been another player who has gone from being totally off the grid to being at the center of a media craze and the transformation of an entire conference’s power structure like Brand?
Source: Philly Burbs via True Hoop
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July 11th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Raps FAN says:
Pau Gasol the Lakers this past season
July 11th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Damon says:
lets see if the sixers resign AI2. even after that they need to add some pieces to be contenders in the east.
but home court advantage, maybe…
July 11th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Tha Boddy says:
The 76ers have no pure shooters or shooters at all they will have a big problem atleast in L.A. Brand had people who could be mistaken for shooters
July 11th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
djkianoosh says:
a hard worker like Brand is gonna be soooo beloved in Philly. we haven’t had a tough, rebounding post player since Barkley. (please don’t come in here with that clarence weatherspoon nonsense.)
we’ve been forever getting our butts handed to us by dominant PF’s. Whenever Tim Duncan or Garnett used to come into town we’d get crushed. I think we had/have a 12 game losing streak against the Spurs, and that’s ALL cause of Duncan.
I’m not saying Brand == Duncan. I’m just saying it’s not such a big gaping difference anymore.
Plus, if he can straighten out Dalembert… OMG! he’s king.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Diego says:
If the sixers resign Iggy, they are going to be tough and definitly will contend in the East.
The guy I want the HAWKS to lure away from Philly is Louis Williams, who has skills and has really come on the last year or so (plus I think he is friends with Josh Smith from Atlanta high school days, and I know his mom is friends with Josh’s mom–each of whom go to at least most of her respective son’s games).
July 11th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
djkianoosh says:
i know cap-wise it’s not even possible, but if the sixers could get monta ellis I’d be happy to part ways with louis williams.
as for iggy, I’m expecting the sixers to re-sign him. no way they can drop the ball on that deal now. they gotta do whatever they can to keep him. and iggy needs to be smart and take a long term deal and lock it up. 10 years, 100 mill. is that even possible?
July 11th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
justice says:
weatherspoon reference lol…brand is an east coast dude great to see him back, lets get some toughness back in the east, and u really don’t have to run plays for him and he plays hard,with evans coming off the bench this is already the hardest working team in the league based on effort
July 11th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Michorizo says:
Bucks sending Kareem to the Lakers comes to mind
July 11th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Damon says:
nope. just 6 years.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Meica says:
Let’s see what Philly does before jumping to “Conference changing” conclusions. Anyway, it’s not like the Sixers were a basement team, they made the playoffs last season!
July 12th, 2008 at 11:06 am
QQ says:
Right on, meica… Can’t we just wait a little while to see if this move is really gonna shake up the whole East? Last time I heard in the media, Shaq’s gonna be the final piece in the Sun’s championship chase… You know what REALLY happened. So puhlease.. don’t jump into conclusions.
P.S. Fuck Shaq
July 14th, 2008 at 2:00 am
Man Up says:
Brand real solid but remember he is coming off a major injury. Hell it really doesn’t matter because the Sixers ain’t winning shit the way the team is presently constructed. They will be better but in no shape, form or fashion will they be championship contenders.