Elton Brand!!

[EltonBrandMan]

I'm real pumped for this Doug Collins signing, cause I think it will give Brand a chance to rejuvenate his career. He's my favorite Dukie and I forgave him for leaving us early. Just came across this great contest for autographed Elton brand sneakers and although they're probably worth little, I thought i'd let everyone on Elizabeth King know.

http://dimemag.com/2010/05/giveaway-elton-brands-autographed-kicks/

I'm hoping the Sixers take Zoubek or Scheyer to pair with EB for a nice Duke tandem

[Kedsy]

I'm hoping the Sixers take Zoubek or Scheyer to pair with EB for a nice Duke tandem

I'm pretty sure the 76ers don't have a second round pick.

[GopherBlue]

I'm pretty sure the 76ers don't have a second round pick.

True, but there's a good chance either Scheyer or Zoobs will still be on the board with the Sixers first round pick.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

True, but there's a good chance either Scheyer or Zoobs will still be on the board with the Sixers first round pick.
And one or the other, if not both, will be available as undrafted free agents after the second round.

[UrinalCake]

I'm real pumped for this Doug Collins signing, cause I think it will give Brand a chance to rejuvenate his career.

I'm curious as to how you think being coached by Doug Collins will help Brand? I'm asking seriously here, not trying to be sarcastic. My take on things was that he still has some lingering effects from last season's injury. Is his current coach not playing him enough? Will Doug Collins play a different style that will be more suited to his abilities? Or is there something else going on?

I'm a huge Elton fan too and he used to be a guy we could always use to refute when people talk about Duke not producing pros and/or big men. Would love to see him return to being an elite player.

[Kedsy]

I'm curious as to how you think being coached by Doug Collins will help Brand? I'm asking seriously here, not trying to be sarcastic. My take on things was that he still has some lingering effects from last season's injury. Is his current coach not playing him enough? Will Doug Collins play a different style that will be more suited to his abilities? Or is there something else going on?

I'm a huge Elton fan too and he used to be a guy we could always use to refute when people talk about Duke not producing pros and/or big men. Would love to see him return to being an elite player.

He was completely unfit for former 76ers coach Eddie Jordan's offense (which was sort of an NBA version of the Princeton offense). A coaching change will do EB a lot of good, although perhaps not as much good as simply getting all the way healed and back in shape.


True, but there's a good chance either Scheyer or Zoobs will still be on the board with the Sixers first round pick.

I know you're joking, but if Doug Collins wants to take Jon or Z with the 2nd pick of the draft he won't be there very long.

[BlueandWhite]

He was completely unfit for former 76ers coach Eddie Jordan's offense (which was sort of an NBA version of the Princeton offense). A coaching change will do EB a lot of good, although perhaps not as much good as simply getting all the way healed and back in shape.


I know you're joking, but if Doug Collins wants to take Jon or Z with the 2nd pick of the draft he won't be there very long.


Philly resident/Duke alum & fan here - the Sixers were awful last year due to poor coaching & guard play, primarily. It didn't help that their perimeter players couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Agree that Jordan as coach was a misfit, and I am certain that they'll improve significantly as a result of Collins' hiring and with the #2 pick likely to be Evan Turner (whether to .500/playoff contender remains to be seen). Hope and expect to see Brand revitalized next year.

Would be great to see either of them get invited to their camp.

[greybeard]

During the first year of Arenas's injury, when the Zards were lead by two smart and generous guards, Daniels and Roger Mason, Edie had that pro-Princeton thing singing.

I'm having trouble understanding how the Princeton would not have been a great fit for Brand if he was healthy, but it sounds like that team was not ready for the type of generosity with the ball that the Princeton concepts presuppose.

Doug Collins from my perspective is a star-system coach which might better fit a team on which everybody and his aunt thinks they are one. I don't think that Brand fits with such a mindset, which I think is a good thing. Nevertheless, he is a star-quality player and, if healthy, might benefit from a coach who will try to gear the team to play to his strengths.

[Turk]

Unfortunately, I think Elton's best basketball is behind him and he won't be able to get back to All-Star caliber. He's had some pretty major injuries, and he's most likely to be an average NBA starter at best but that's about it. Doug Collins can't do much about that unless he decides to sleep at a Holiday Inn and become a surgeon too.

As for Philly, the Princeton experiment was doomed when Andre Miller signed with Portland before the season. When he left, their collective basketball IQ fell into negative digits even by low NBA standards. Iggy is a second or third banana masquerading as an alpha dog. None of them can shoot, so with the current roster, they can't score in the half-court, even with Elton 100%. They were unwatchable last year.

None of GM Ed Stefanski's moves have shown any promise of success, although they got a ray of sunshine when they landed the #2 ping-pong ball in the draft. The no-brainer pick is Evan Turner at #2.

So they might try to play uptempo with JaRue Holliday, Turner, Iggy, and some combo of Thaddeus Young, Elton, and Dalembert <sigh> at the 4 and 5, and see if Speights still has a pulse. If Collins gets that ragtag bunch to .500 he should be coach of the year. Sorry, Sixers and Elton fans, it's gonna be ugly for another few years.

[Aditya]

If I remember correctly, Doug Collins favors a slower, half court offense. I feel like this will help Brand because he played so successfully in the Clippers' slow tempo offense. Also, Jrue Holiday should be better having a year under his belt and a coach like Collins to teach him the game. With a better point guard and another scorer like Turner, I think Brand will return to being a 20/10 kind of player.

[Kedsy]

I think Brand will return to being a 20/10 kind of player.

The Sixers would settle for 16 and 8. However, there's a rumor they're shopping the 2nd pick of the draft but whoever wants it would have to take Elton (and his huge contract) with it. It is not expected there will be any takers.