[r377Participant]

 Elton Brand

 

The 76ers have hired Elton Brand to be their new GM, according to sources of Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

 

Brand impressed ownership and Brett Brown during the interview process, beating out several other candidates, and he will now be elevated from VP of Basketball Operations. He rose through the ranks in Philly, from the GM of the G-League team to now overseeing the 76ers franchise, and he did all that in just a years time.

 

 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Defenitely a fitting face for the franchise. When I think of the 76ers during my lifetime’s basketball I think of Elton Brand. Duke gradiuate, stand up guy and a work ethic that you would like everyone in your organization to replicate. Good fit Philly. Also nice to see teams hire within the organization and build tradition. I like it.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Fitting face for the franchise. Say that 10 times fast.

[CynthiaParticipant]

I don’t know how young you are, but when I think 76ers I think of Iverson. Even Iguoadala was a very standout 76er with & after Iverson. You think of Brand? Brand was a has-been by the time he joined the 76ers, his best days being in Chicago and LA.

Not throwing shade just was a little confused when I read that.

[220Participant]

 I have to agree with you Cynthia. I largely have to remind myself Elton Brand even played for the 76ers. No one player comes to mind I think of more than a few like Dr. J, AI, Andre Igoudala, and some personal favorites over the years like Thad Young and Clarence Weather spoon. If anything I think of the 76ers of today like Embiid and Simmons.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Yeah your right. Im mostly just speaking on how he recovered from an injury when joining the 76ers and his work ethic. Theres obviously more prominent players in the franchise history but over the last decade I would say Elton Brand is my favourite 76er.

[BeastMode716Participant]

 great players who have worn that Jersey & how some of their biggest stars have captured the imagination of the enitre basketball culture across the country: a Str8 line from Wilt Chamberlain in 1959 to Dr. J in 1976 to Charles Barkley in 1985 to Allen Iverson in 1996 to Joel Embiid in 2014 it’s Crazy but not only has Phila had some of the Greatest talents in NBA history but all 5 of these guys are / were Cultural Icons who impacted the entire country & the Globe during their time in the NBA 

Wilt Chamberlain hit the NBA in 1959 & he was a literal Giant, one of the Great natural athletes in American History, legendary strength, Ridiculous basketball talent but Wilt in the 1960’s was like dropping an inner city Cultural Bomb on American Life. Wilt was a legend on the court but he was just as much of a legend Off the court – his amazing style, his attitude, his swag were all legendary

Dr. J in the 70 & early 80’s was an Icon – a type of talent & athlete & class that we had Never seen before & Dr. J was a Great NBA representative at a time when the League was struggling. Dr. J was Huge helping the NBA survive so the Could flourish w/ Magic & Bird & then Explode w/ Jordan. If Wilt scared the hell out of middle America Dr. J oozed class & style & grace. Dr. J felt like American Royalty & as an inner city mixed race American I was So proud to have Dr. J represent our culture. 

And then Charles Barkley from the mid 80’s up to 93′ when he forced a trade to Phoenix – Charles was such a bigger than Life personality & Freak athlete & even though Phila failed to put gr8 teams around him, he gave Phila national exposure post Dr J b/c Charles was Must see TV. Look up Chuck’s stats – your eye balls will pop out your head! Charles personality was So bigger than Life people forget what a Dominant NBA player he thruly was. 

And then Allen Iverson hit the scene in Phila in 96′ & for people not old enough to remember Allen Iverson aka Bubba Chuck aka the Answer was no exagerration a Cultural Revolution! Iverson had So much SWAG there is No way to properly describe it – you had to Experience it! AI was prob 5’11” 160 Lbs but on the Innside Iverson was a GIANT! – he was utterly Fearless & Relentless! – This little guy would take So much punishment getting knocked to the floor by these Monsters in the paint & Iverson NEVER backed down – Not One time! Culturally, b/c of Iverson Tatoos, Afros & Corn-rows Exploded in the NBA & in the inner city culture! You just did Not see these things on This level before Iverson — Iverson was a Cultural Tornado & he crashed the NBA’s carefully constructed "Safe" image that David Stern had insisted upon. he’ll Always be associated w/ the Philadelphia 76ers & especially the inner city Philadelphia where Iverson is to this day a Hero; a Legend & a municipal Treasure 

And now it is Joel Embiid — Embiid has used Social Media better than Any athlete I can think of – Embiid gets social media – it is all about being Petty but in a Fun way, just ball busting, never emotional. Every major event all over the World: Super Bowl, World Cup, Concerts, LA club scene, Playing Soccer w/ kids in a remote African village, Dunking on fans in inner city Phila playgrounds – & Embiid is there! It seems like Joel is Every where!- like Where’s Waldo – he’s got a bigger than Life personality & he is literally a Giant at 7’2” & neartly 300 Lbs also just like the other 3 a Freak athlete & Dominant NBA Talent. B/c Embiid missed his 1st 2 years he took Non stop abuse & that Phila fan base stood by him, protected him & literally Swarmed Any Media member local or national who attacked or criticized Embiid & b/c of that Loyalty Embiid & the city of Phila have a very strong bond, just the other day unsolicited – he was Not even asked – Embiid said at Media day he wants to spend his entire career in Philadelphia. You just don’t see that in today’s NBA & I luv that NBA players have freedom to move but it’s pretty cool to see loyalty on this level towards a fan base & a city & it is clearly mutual

I remember Brand was a Big Free Agent signing & it was a surprise he signed w/ Phila but what no one realized (not even Brand himself) was that he had just recovered from a Major ACL injury & surgery but he was Finished as an All Star level player – so I agree I don’t associate Brand w/ Phila as a player – I link Brand w/ Duke & the LA Clippers as a Pro

But I am thrilled for Brand, I Luv the hiring & I wish him the best & I elaborated on that in another post below – I just luv the discussion of Iconic 76ers Stars b/c the Phila franchise has had such distinctive Stars over the last 60 years

 

 

 

 

 

[220Participant]

The talk was the 76ers either wanted a  big name GM to take over or they wanted to go forward with a team approach to the front office. The Eltron Brand hire to me says the 76ers will likely move forward with a more team centric front office where the GM does not necessarily have the final say. It could work out well. I’m more hopeful about this move than I was the Bryan Colangelo hire.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Considering I was extremely underwhelmed about the Colangelo hire, the only way is up. I’m surprised Brand has ascended so quickly. Usually teams make them do a long apprenticeship before landing top jobs. I’m happy for him. 

[BlazermannParticipant]

 Ever since he was traded there they loved him lol go head Elton 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Elton was a very good player at his peak and being in the KG, Dirk, Tim Ducan era he was unlucky not to make more than two All Star appearances and also missed big chunks of two seasons at his peak due to injury.

He has been around Philly as a player and in the front office for several years. He was a top drafted guy himself so can relate to their young stars and only finished playing a couple of years back so knows a lot of the locker room guys. Having been in the FO for a couple of years he knows the franchise well so is a logical guy to be promoted to GM. A lot of the roster is in place so he will only need to do the fine tuning.

 

[BeastMode716Participant]

 No matter what any of us or those in the Media think about it Phila’s ownership is Very happy w/ their team, their Culture, their Coaching staff & their management team 

They believe they have the infrasctructure in place to succeed from top to bottom 

Now no matter who you hire if you go outside the organization to grab either an experienced GM or a hot young up & coming asst GM from another organization they ARE going to want to put their mark on the organization. It actually takes a Very stable individual to say this place is running great I’m gonna just leave it be & roll w/ it

Almost No one does that – Not a judgement or Criticism – just human nature. So if Phila hires someone from outside their will be a certain amount of Lateral moves if for no other reason that for the new GM to establish his authority 

Phila feels they don’t have time for that – they are ready to roll & want to hit the ground running when the season starts. The Ownership Luvs Brett Brown & he’s clearly in a Popovich type roll where he has Final say & they still have Colangelo’s top 2 lieutenants Ned Cohen & Marc Eversley running the day to day operations of the team & the scouting Dept. 

Brand is a universally respected Class act w/ connections all over the NBA & into college at Duke – Phila’s Rebuild is over – they have the foundation, the young stars, the role players, the draft picks & the Cap space – they need a recognizable person to build the brand (excuse the pun) to attract Free Agents – to play a Magic Johnson role & this makes sense b/c they just lost out to Magic & the Lakers in the Lebron sweepstakes 

So I Luv this hire considering the circumstances. If this was the Hawks or the Kings or some other Rebuilding team I wouldn’t like it as much – not b/c I don’t have confidence in Brand, I just believe he is Perfect for this role in Phila & the support structure is in place 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

To rebuild a team you probably need a new guy to come in who has a lot of FO experience and he can make the big moves and get the rebuild platform going. Brand as an internal guy is there to help polish the roster – he knows Brett Brown so they will likely work well together.

Brand is respected and as a former Mike K player is an known good character so he can do a pitch as a former top player and as someone who is respected.

[Author]

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