Timberwolves and Sixers front offices met at combine to discuss Ben Simmons trade?
Elton Brand Rumors
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Elton Brand
Position: -
Born: 03/11/79
Height: 6-9 / 2.06
Weight:265 lbs. / 120.2 kg.
Earnings: $169,209,324 ($210,905,102*)
Born: 03/11/79
Height: 6-9 / 2.06
Weight:265 lbs. / 120.2 kg.
Earnings: $169,209,324 ($210,905,102*)
No trade request made by Ben Simmons' camp, interest in him league-wide still 'significant'
Discussions on Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons’ future with the franchise started in Chicago this week and included Simmons’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and Sixers management, sources told ESPN. Paul met with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand at the pre-draft combine to begin evaluating the next steps in Simmons’ Sixers career, sources said.
Paul engaged the Sixers on whether it makes sense to work together to find a trade before the start of next season, but no request was made and the sides are expected to continue talking ahead of the July 29 NBA draft and August free agency, sources said. The 76ers are committed to keeping Simmons as a central piece of their franchise, sources said.
After Simmons’ season ended with a frustrating performance in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers are focused on a summer of work on his shooting. Simmons and coach Doc Rivers met this week to discuss a plan for improvement, sources said.
“I think it’s a really good team that they’ve put together,” James said of the 76ers. “Give a lot of credit to [general manager] Elton Brand and the things that they’re doing here. Obviously, Doc has always won pretty much wherever he’s been. We’ll see as the season goes on. There’s going to be a lot of teams in the Eastern Conference playing championship basketball down the stretch. I know they believe that they’re one of those teams.”
How do you see the front office hierarchy with regards to GM Elton Brand? Will you be making decisions jointly, or does Brand come to you and you make the final call? Does it depend on the decision? Will you be making the big moves with Brand focused on the day to day? Would love to hear your answer, thank you. Daryl Morey: Elton and I have been collaborating very closely — I think he has a chance to be one of the great GMs with his skill set. On top of that he has the unique background of being a top NBA player — all else equal with a GM you would want someone who was a former NBA player — it helps in many aspects of the job. I feel like it has been a great partnership where we are learning from each other. I like giving staff huge responsibility as it helps them develop — I take a small amount of pride there are 6 front offices that are run by folks with Houston ties now.
Brian Seltzer: Dwight Howard said Doc was the first coach to call him during free agency. Also said Daryl Morey and Elton Brand were influential in recruiting him. “I said this is where I need to be right now. This is where my journey is calling me.”
