 Elton Brand, Out For The Season Dei Lynam is reporting that Elton Brand will have surgery on his injured shoulder and he's done for the year. It's a preliminary report, no timetable was given.If true, it's a shame. I give the guy credit for attempting to come back, but I can't say I'm surprised in the least. I'll try to dig up some info on the surgery, but I'm pretty sure this means he's on the shelf for something like 6 months. I wouldn't hold out hope that he'll be back if/when they make the playoffs. We'll look at the big picture after the jump. Now that the guy who was supposed to make this team a viable threat in the post season is lost, what will Ed Stefanski do? I wish there was a clear-cut answer. The team played extremely well when he was out before, and I think they're probably a lock for the playoffs as currently constructed, but are they more than a first-round exit? I guess that depends on what seed they wind up with. This injury could be viewed as a free pass for Stefanski. No one really considers this team a title contender without EB (most didn't think they really were with him either, but that's beside the point), now that Brand is out of the equation, moving Andre Miller may be a much easier sell to the fans, and the ownership. I still think he's in the catbird's seat concerning Miller. Keep Andre, go to the playoffs, and hope that a year of maturation for the young guys will make the difference in the playoffs. Keep Miller and you're the only team with Bird Rights to re-sign him this summer. By no means does he have to move Miller. Other teams need him more than Ed needs to move him. On the other hand, will this season be little more than fool's gold? Do you hold on to Miller for a hollow playoff run only to let him walk as a free agent? At 23-24 it wouldn't take much of a slip to fall out of the playoffs altogether. Sending Miller out in a trade just might do the trick. Would ownership allow the team to circle the drain this season in the hopes of grabbing an impact PG in the draft and reloading for next year? I'd love to tell you I have the answer to any one of these questions. I know if I was the guy calling the shots, I'd never take a playoff run for granted. I think winning begets winning, and definitely vice versa. It would take quite a package to get me to part with Miller and I'd keep pressing my luck up against the trade deadline until that package materialized, or didn't. If I couldn't get exactly what I was looking for, well, there are worse things than playoff basketball in the Philly. Your thoughts in the comments, please. 
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wow
The odds of him having a full recovery without the surgery were very, very, very low. I think everyone crossed their fingers that he'd be able to make it through the season w/ the injury, then have the surgery over the summer. Obviously, he wasn't able to perform with it so this is the best course of action now. Get him 100% healthy and then we can start the whole thing over next season.
In the mean time, big decisions for Ed. I'll cover it in the post above as an update.
I expect Iguodala to take his game to the next level now. He's been playing like an all star for a couple months now so that should continue. I guess this makes Andre Miller verrryy available, although I don't think Eddy will give him away. Im still hoping for a nice playoff run.
i don't know what other level there is for iguodala to reach. he's getting at least 20, 5, & 5 a night. that's pretty much his ceiling imo.
25, 7 and 7 :)
then he'd have to change his name to LBJ
I tell you what, I'll call Iguodala a top 10 NBA player if he produces like he did in January over the course of the rest of the season.
22, 5.5, and 5.5 shooting 53% from the field and 43% from beyond. Add in 2 steals and only 2.5 TOs.
Those are ludicrous numbers.
I think the percentages have to come down, but maybe not the raw numbers.
The best thing about Iggy recently is the big shots he's been hitting down the stretch.
how much? He has shot 50% in a season in his career and he was shooting ~1/4 of his shots from 3 point land that year at a poor rate.
Maybe Iguodala is versatile enough to adjust completely to the role of scorer. I doubt it since he has always seemed to me to be an ideal 16 ppg type of player, but who knows? He seems to have exceeded my expectations continuously.
the 3-point percentage. 33-36% is probably his range, long term.
Good call breaking this in the comments, Steve.
This post has been updated with some thoughts on what Ed might/could/should do.
if stefanski doesn't think he can re-sign miller in the offseason then they absolutely HAVE to trade him, imo. the goal is to win a championship. how would losing miller for nothing advance that goal?
Depends. If you move him for a mismatching piece with a contract that runs longer than Miller's, like Baron Davis, then letting him walk is far preferable.
Im with you, unless im blown away by a package for miller im keeping him. With the experience we got last year in the playoffs, especially iguodala, im comfortable going to battle with the team we have now. An about Iguodala taking his game to another lvel, it doesn't even have to be in stats alone, ive just liked his demeanor out there lately like he knows how good he is. He has definitly gained a swagger this season and im no longer shitting my pants when he has the ball in his hands with 10 seconds left down one.
That's been the biggest change for me. He's not only been making the huge shots, but he's been making the smart plays (the pass to Miller in the Nets game when the D collapsed on him).
well i'm assuming stefanski wouldn't make a deal that would put us in an even worse position than just losing miller for nothing. ha i guess i shouldn't assume that.
I think you ride it until the deadline; if you get a package that's awesome then you deal. Otherwise you take the chance he walks.
I think 2-4 games over 500 at the end of the season is still doable. 6 or 7th seed in the playoffs. I don't think they will catch the Hawks or Pistons though. I know Snider won't accept throwing any playoffs out the window unless it's something you can't pass up.
By the way, the overwhelming majority voting on a poll on espn.com on whether or not the sixers will make the playoffs without brand is voting NO. Except for PA and DE. Interesting, if they don't trade I think they are a lock for the playoffs like last year.
Agreed.
yea i don't see how anyone would think they won't make the playoffs just because they lost brand.
I know. Brand has not helped this team at all this year.
You know, I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. That's pretty sad.
Do you think he helped this year?
Uh. He helped in the Houston win. I suppose I could come up with a handful of other games he helped in as well. Generally, no.
Detroit is within reach. Atlanta, maybe not.
This is essentially the same team that finished 22-12 last season, only Thad, Lou and Iggy all have another year under their belts and now you have Speights added into the mix.
22-12 from this point puts them at 45-36. Ugh, I might be stretching. I hate sports.
You know, I'd feel alot better about them repeating the 22-12 finish if they were finishing off some of these games this year : )
how many more kicks in the balls will it take?
To be honest, Indiana has had a lot of really really close games, especially early this year. So expect it to be stressful.
Isn't every game overly-stressful?
tough break but not unexpected.
Even though the sixers lost to Boston the other night Iggy essentially hit the game winner. Good to see...
was it just me or was he doing a dance after that looked like "my balls are so big I cant keep them in my pants after hitting that shot"
anyone catch that ?
It was really funny and pretty racy in this day and age. Of course it got overshadowed by Ray's 3...
Why do I always miss the most entertaining parts of the game. Probably because the stupid league pass always shows the away feed. I'm pretty sure the Boston guys were busy saying it was an 8 on 5 game at that point.
Yes that happened and Salmi and Zumoff ignored it but I was laughing my ass off. He like did a mock cupping of his balls like he was fondling watermelons while skipping back down on D.
he did the same dance in houston, right?
It's the freaking east -and the people who vote in ESPN polls - well they vote in ESPN polls :)
Sure the sixers lost brand but they played well without brand while he was gone
Sixers currently sit at 7 - bucks at 8 - lost redd and bogut is now out for a period of time - nets at 9 - well who knows what the hell that team is going to do - chicago is starting to get their act together a little but del negro supposedly already lost the team and even without brand the sixers are better than the knicks.
Sure - they'll probably get waxed by oe of the big 3 in the first round - but does anyone really think the bucks are going to stay at 8 and that TWO of the nets, bulls, and knicks will play better than the sixers down the stretch?
.500 makes the playoffs in the east usually
.500 probably gets you the #7 seed in the east this season, maybe #6.
So looking at it - i don't know how any rational person could suddenly say this makes the sixers a non playoff team - hell I know there's a base of fans out there thinking this makes the sixers better :)
Of course, I still advocate trading Miller for quality assets (position independent) that could be used in the off season or replace useless assets (like willie green) in the rotation
how much fun would a series against the hawks be? i still think they can snag the 5 seed. if they won just half of all these close games they've blown in the final 15 seconds they'd almost be there already. that is what happens to a young team though.
If they go 4-3 in those games that they were leading in the final 15 seconds their record is 27-21 right now and they're 1 game behind Atlanta for the #4 seed. Instead, they're 0-7. Damnit.
Here's my bold prediction. Iggy goes for 30+ tonight. Makes a statement that this team is not dead just because EB is done for the year.
I think Joe's right though, the Pacers have given them trouble the last couple of years. It won't be easy. Iggy should go off but Granger might feast on their three point defense.
Jim O'brien coaches the pacers - doesn't that mean they shoot a lot of 3's
and dunleavy is back and they are playing better since his return - they aren't the cakewalk they were a few weeks ago
They're also coming of back-to-back losses to the Knicks and the T-Wolves.
They are 6-5 with Dunleavy in the starting lineup.
This team is better than Detroit.
When was the last time Iguodala went for 30? No Sixer has gotten 30 this year.
brand's agent david falk is on Daily News Live right now...
Can you give us a summary of what he says?
it was typical agent-talk. nothing really of note about the injury. he said brand loves it in philly and all he cares about is winning.
Mark it down. Optimism aside, the Sixers WILL get the 4th seed before it's said and done.
Even if we do end up 5th, we still miss the big three in the 1st round and who knows what happens from the 2nd round on.
The 4th seed is very reachable which is why bouncing back tonight is huge and even moreso important is Sat. night against Miami, being they are in front of us.
I smell another 7-2 or at least 6-3 run starting with tonight's game.
That would be huge. Need to see the effort tonight, and I'd love to see a strong finish to the game.
Maybe. We will see. Iguodala might have to start playing every minute for that to happen.
they actually went on their run in the 2nd quarter against boston with iguodala on the bench.
Well there you have it then
Yea, I get nervous when he takes him out around the 5 to 6 minute mark in the 4th.
Going to a high school game so won't be able to watch until start of 2nd half, so the pressure is on for poignant comments:)
Brand was a 3-toed sloth on a team of Lemurs...Let Speights rack up some playing time and have Brand and Jason Smith chill out in the hot tub for 6 months. This team is gutsy and those last second defeats are gonna start turning into victories. I like our nucleus. I'd give anything for a Do-over on the Brand signing but i think this team has enough talent to keep improving even without a super personality like brand in the post.
I'd give anything to have had a 100% in game shape healthy brand so we could see what he could actually do - but since he hasn't been there yet - who nows
I still think that - even though it's a crap load of minutes - there should be an andre on floor at all times.
If speights steps it up on defense i'll be thrilled
now the suns are officially taking offers for stoudemire. great timing now that brand is officially done for the season.
I'm confused. Was that sarcasm? Are you saying we have a good opportunity to go for Stoudemire now that we have a hole at PF or that we would have had a better shot by trading brand for him before brand was shut down?
Thoughts on a possible andre miller/thad/willie green etc. package for amare?
I think that Portland could outdo any offer we could come up with. As is always the case it seems...
They could have a package built around Bayless, Aldridge, and that super expiring contract.
If they want Amare, they can definitely come up with a better package than us. Assuming Philly isn't willing to deal Iggy.
Huge amount of irony in this one. Amare would have the the perfect PF for this team, even with his attitude issues. He hit the trade market 8 months too late, or I think the Sixers could have gotten him. I would be shocked if the Sixers went after him now.
If he's really available, I bet they make the call. In an earlier post I suggested a pretty decent package. Miller, Thad, Evans and a protected #1 for Amare.
Wow, trading Thad?
Only trade I'd accept for Amare that the suns might have considered is brand amare straight up - but since he's not healthy - non starter - of course with contract (length) differentials and sarvers cheapness of late you'd probably need to sweeten with picks
I doubt they'd take on Brand's contract. I think they want to get younger and cheaper, mainly cheaper. And they want some defenders. We'll see. I wouldn't rule out a Marion + picks for Amare deal. It really depends on how badly Phoenix wants to blow things up.
I would laugh if marion went back to phoenix for the rest of the season.
The problem is, hypothetically, long term, you can't run amare and brand together.
At least with Amare the sixers would have someone who wants to be 'the man' - not sure he's capable of it but he talks a good game
Actually, I wouldn't have a problem running Amare and EB together. You need a strong defender playing alongside him, Brand fits the bill.
Hey Brian,
How about a Brand for Antawn Jamison trade with DC? Jamison seems much more suited to the uptempo running style that Philly prefers to play, and DC is having a lost year anyway.
And Brand fits in better in DC. They have enough 3PT shooters - Arenas, Young, Stevenson, Butler - that Jamison always seemed a bit redundant. Brand's low post presence makes more sense than Jamison's range on the Wizards, and Jamison's mid-range game and running ability (plus he doesn't need to dominate the ball for long stretches of the shot clock to make his moves, unlike Brand) is a good match for the 76ers.
Jamison has a terrible contract and is how many years older than brand?
Horrible idea
John-ism = I know everything....
I see mikelupica shut your trap up with the 1st sentence in his response below. Classic!
I'm pretty sure Brand is off the trading block at this time, unless someone just absolutely blows the Sixers away with an offer, which isn't likely.
Even if the Sixers were interested, are the Wizards really looking to have $190M in contracts wearing suits to games for the rest of the season?
Jamison's contract is shorter (by one year) than Brand's, and about $3 million per year cheaper, John. Brand is three years younger than Jamison.
Brian: What do the Wizards have to lose? Their season is a wash anyway... they are pretty much are lock at a top-3 pick. Jamison isn't a good fit, and right now they are very likely to trade him, with most rumors suggesting that he'll be traded to the Cavs for Wally's expiring contract. The Wizards would be better off with a low post player in Brand than free cap space to sign no one.
Rather than to let the Cavs get another weapon (admittedly not a good reason on its own for making a trade, but still worth adding to the other reasons) in Jamison, the 76ers could swoop in and tempt the Wizards with Brand.
It's unlikely anyone would offer too much for Brand, since he has now missed the majority of the past two season due to various injuries. Not that he's injury-prone; just that he now has serious medical conditions. There is a big risk there, too... Brand might be younger than Jamison, but he is 30 years old this year, and his body has suffered two major injuries with potential lingering effects in the past two years.
Anyway, I agree that the 76ers are less likely to make this trade, but I do think it might work in favor of both teams, both in the short and long runs....
I'm not a big fan of Jamison as a player, mainly because he shoots too much at too low of a percentage. He'd probably help in the short term, but I don't think the team is ready to give up on Brand, and I tend to agree. I'd rather wait to see how the team plays w/ a healthy EB than add Jamison.