Elton Brand is a 76'er

According to reports coming from a NBA source, free agent center Elton Brand has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76'ers. Although this is still in the verbal stages, it is rumored that Brand's new deal is in the 5 year $80 million range.

If this deal is actually true then the 76'ers have to consider themselves a contender in the East. Late last season Philadelphia made a strong showing and got themselves into the playoffs. Beyond that they gave the Detroit Pistons all they could handle and proved they were a great team in them making. The addition of Brand makes them a great team now. Brand gives Philly a legitimate big man and someone to wrestle with Garnet in the Atlantic Division.

The person who has to be the most frustrated with all of this has to be Baron Davis. Davis signed a $65 million deal with the Clippers last week. The hope was to pair Davis and Brand together and create a dynamic duo. Now the Clippers are in danger of losing Brand and Maggette, leaving them with only Baron Davis, and starring down another lottery pick in 09.