[ESPN] The Philadelphia 76ers will release former All-Star Elton Brand under the league’s amnesty clause, according to sources.
The move to release Brand will be necessitated by the expected signing of free-agent guard Nick Young and the planned re-signing of center Spencer Hawes.
Teams that did not use their one-time amnesty clause last season can waive one player via the amnesty provision between July 11-17 and see that player’s contract figures vanish from the team’s payroll for salary-cap and luxury-tax purposes.
Brand will still collect the full $18 million that the Sixers owe him next season, but he will first be offered to teams under the salary cap through the waiver process, with under-the-cap teams able to lodge bids for him.
Obviously Brand was way overpaid, but this only makes sense if they are going to make a move this year because Brand would have came off the books next off-season. Maybe the Sixers have something up their sleeve, Rudy Gay? Pau Gasol? Dwight Howard!? I’m dreaming, but hey, we gotta look forward to something during this Phillies season.
The Sixers did sign Nick Young today. Young is essentially a bigger Lou Williams. Doesn’t play much defense, doesn’t have an exact position, doesn’t pass much, but the dude can really score. In my opinion, it is a great deal. For 1 year, 6 million dollars, it’s perfect. It’s exactly what Lou was supposed to make before he opted out. If we would have resigned Lou, it would likely be for more years and more money.
[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/TeamLou23/status/221275412490231808"]
With that said, Lou will certainly be missed…
