Go Get Him - Tuesday, July 01, 2008
383 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   Anybody waiting for the Marreese Speights Era to begin in Philadelphia had better find a comfortable chair and a generous provision of foodstuffs and beverages, because the first-round pick has a long way to go before he becomes an NBA contributor, much less a star. The Florida product seems well-suited for the interior life, given his great size and athletic ability. He's also rawer than steak tartare and completely unprepared to do battle with the league's top -- or middling, for that matter -- big men.

   That's why the news Elton Brand opted out of his contract Monday was huge for the Sixers. They need a real, live low-post player, and Brand is that man. He will be costly, to be sure, but he is exactly what they have lacked, and he's better suited for the NBA long haul than is Josh Smith, the 6-9 forward who played last year in Atlanta. That's right, if given the choice between Brand and Smith, the Sixers should choose Brand.

   Yes, the Achilles tendon tear that sidelined him last season is a concern, and GM Ed Stefanski should employ Marcus Welby, Dr. McDreamy and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to make sure Brand is healthy before presenting him with a truck filled with money. Once that is established, Brand is the man the Sixers should pursue for the simple fact that he plays the kind of game that makes teams successful in the post-season. Smith is fun to watch run and jump, but his numbers dropped (17.2 ppg to 15.7 ppg; 8.2 rpg, 6.4 rpg) in the post-season, when the freewheeling game is not a regular option. Smith isn't particularly strong and will not command too many double-teams in the post.

   Brand, on the other hand, has the style of game that stands up well in January and May. He is a back-to-the-basket type who can also step out and has the spring to get a few things done in the open court. He won't be sailing up the wing on the break, like Smith, but the playoffs aren't about the break. They're about what you can do when the game slows down, and the Sixers have a better chance to thrive in that atmosphere with Brand than with Smith.

   There's no guarantee Brand will even consider coming east. The Clippers have vowed to keep him and are hinting they might try to pair him with Golden State guard Baron Davis, who also opted out of his final year. That would be a pretty formidable tandem and could lift the Clippers into reasonably serious contention. Stefanski knows that and will have to act accordingly. He may be forced into signing Smith as a second option. But if he wants to make sure the Sixers have the best team possible for the post-season, he'll do everything possible to sign Brand, because he can help when the pressure mounts, and the highlights don't come in the open court. In the NBA, that's what it's really about.