76ers sign veteran Elton Brand
The youngest team in the NBA (average age of 23.5) is set to receive a necessary dose of veteran leadership to its roster.
The Philadelphia 76ers have signed 36-year-old power forward Elton Brand, the team announced Monday. The deal was first reported by Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania.
Undrafted rookie Christian Wood will be released to clear a roster spot for Brand.
Brand is no stranger to the 76ers organization, having played four seasons with the franchise from 2008 to 2012 after signing a five-year, $82-million contract.
Jerry Colangelo, who was recently named chairman of basketball operations for the 76ers, had reportedly been in talks with Brand about him possibly joining the organization, with the hope being that he could serve as a mentor to the team's young talent.
Drafted first overall out of Duke by the Chicago Bulls in 1999, Brand has suited up for 16 seasons in the league for five different squads, with his biggest success coming as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers (2001-08), averaging a double-double of 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds en route to two All-Star appearances.
Brand spent the 2014-15 season appearing in 36 games for the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds on 44.2 percent shooting. He announced his retirement from basketball on Aug. 8 of last year after it became clear that there was little interest from potential NBA employers.
In a piece for the Cauldron, Brand went into detail on why he decided to come out of retirement for another go with the 76ers:
The truth is, my decision to return to the NBA isn't about money, and it isn't about rings. It isn't even about me, really, although every athlete would like to go out on his or her own terms. It's about repaying what's owed, about making sure that the young men who follow in my footsteps get what they're entitled to (and what I haven't always given them).
It's not so much that I failed the guys I was tasked with mentoring over the years; it's that I barely even tried. I never took the time to share the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's writing with them. I never sincerely answered their questions about what David West was trying to warn them about during NBPA meetings. I didn't tell them why they should be reading Etan Thomas' essays.
I was simply too busy following the NBA blueprint that had been engrained in me from the beginning: Play well, keep your head down, offend as few people as possible, and get paid. Now, here in Philadelphia, my adopted hometown, I'm excited to have a chance to do things differently - be a positive influence and help the organization get back on track.
I’m not coming here to hold Jahlil's hand - or anyone else's, for that matter - because that's not what he needs. 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.