According to the good people at Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia, the 76ers $80 million man plans to come back with a vengeance this year.
After speaking to Sixers GM Ed Stefanski, Comcast reporter Dei Lynam reported that Brand has been rehabilitating from season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a separated shoulder over on the West Coast. From everything Stefanski has heard, Brand will be returning to Philadelphia bigger, meaner, and stronger.
“I have not seen Elton play,” Ed Stefanski said. “We have been in contact a lot. He has an attitude right now and it’s a good attitude that he wants to show everybody why we signed him.
“He is totally healthy. He is out in L.A. working out in the morning on strength and conditioning, and in the afternoon he plays with pros. And all reports from him and coaches who have seen him out there say he looks real good.”
If Brand is back in time for the Sixers’ home opener, he’ll ironically be seeing the Milwaukee Bucks – the same team the Sixers were playing last December when Brand initially separated the shoulder.
Monday, August 17, 2009 at 7:06 pm by bryan
The 76ers started to answer the questions about their open roster space by signing free agent center Primos Brezec to a one-year deal worth $1.1 million.
Brezec, a 7′1″ center who the Pacers drafted 27th overall in 2000, joins Samuel Dalembert, Elton Brand, Marreese Speights and Jason Smith in the Sixers’ big man rotation.
The 29-year-old Brezec has averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds during the span of his career. He has played for the Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. His career high totals came in 2004-2005 with the Bobcats, where he averaged 13.0 points and grabbed 7.4 rebounds per game.
“We feel that Primoz will provide us with additional size and depth in the front court, but just as beneficial is the wealth of experience he brings to the team not only on the NBA level, but internationally as well,” Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski said in a statement.
His last season in the NBA was the 2007-2008 season, which he played with the Bobcats, Pistons and Raptors, appearing in a combined 50 games. He has started 214 of his career 321 appearances.
The Philadelphia Daily News first reported the agreement last week.
Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 9:47 am by bryan
The Philadelphia 76ers retained the services of backup guard Royal Ivey on Monday.
Ivey, who played sparingly for the Sixers in 2008-2009, averaged 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 71 games.
The former Texas standout has proven to be a capable role player and occasional spark off the bench during his five-year career, but with a glut of guards and small forwards on the roster (including first-round draft pick Jrue Holliday), Ivey could see his minutes decrease this season.
Monday, August 10, 2009 at 7:08 pm by reggy10
Andre Miller, the point guard for the 2008-2009 Philadelphia 76ers, signed a 3-year, $21 million contract with the Portland Trailblazers on Friday, July 24. The deal is a two-year deal for $14 million, with a team optioned third year at $7 million.
Miller, who came to the 76ers in 2006 as part of the Allen Iverson trade with Denver, was reportedly requesting somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million/year for the next three years from his former team. The 76ers responded with a one-year deal, which Miller hesitated to sign.
Miller has started an NBA-high straight 530 games and has only missed three in his entire career (paging Tracy McGrady…). He did not miss a game in his three years with the 76ers.
Without Miller at the point, the Sixers will most likely turn to the fifth-year Lou Williams and rookie Jrue Holiday as their primary point guards. An article in the Philadelphia Inquirer labeled Ed Stefanski as “going shopping in Vegas” this month to look for veteran point guards and reserve big men, as the 76ers still have four roster spots available.
Monday, August 3, 2009 at 7:56 pm by bryan
Tags: andre miller, news, philadelphia 76ers, portland trailblazers
