Does Philadelphia 76ers have a new weapon to get to the playoffs? Do they have a new superstar that could possibly take them to the finals like Iverson and Mutombo did a few years ago? And is $80 million the price tag for this?

Well Philadelphia 76ers made it official Wednesday on a five-year deal worth over $79.795 million. Now the 76ers are back in the league and just might get the respect they deserve with such a player like Elton Brand.

“I’m prepared to do some big things this year,” Brand said.

For that kind of commitment, Brand should be ready.

Los Angeles CLippers tried to re-sign Brand for only $75 million compared to the Clippers $82 million. Even the Golden State Warriors offered him $90 million in total for a better cash deal, but were turned down since 76ers was a preferred option for Brand.

“My intention was to try and work something out with the Clippers,” Brand said.

The Sixers are hoping that Elton Brand will assist greatly, their low post game, which their team lacked in the prior season.

“All we kept saying was we needed an opportunity, and that opportunity came,” Stefanski said.

Brand, with his career figures of 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds over nine seasons make him one of only four active players to average a double-double, and be a threat in the Eastern conference.

However, Brand played in only eight games last season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury. Brand said Wednesday night he was 100 percent and ready to go.

“I won’t let anybody down,” he said. Even if he had maintained an Achilles tendon injury, he claims to be in 100 percent condition.

Brand was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft out of Duke and spent two seasons with the Bulls before he was traded to the Clippers. Brand had tried to leave Los Angeles once before as a restricted free agent. He signed an offer sheet with Miami, but returned to the Clippers once the deal was matched.

Brand has off-court ventures as he founded Gibraltar Films and served as co-producer on a movie that starred Christian Bale.

The Sixers had been pointing toward this summer since they traded 2001 NBA MVP Allen Iverson in 2006 and decided to rebuild. Brand joins a Sixers team that is no longer the lottery-bound loser it was a year ago. With players like Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and the blossoming Thaddeus Young, the 76ers shocked us all as they made the playoffs.

The Sixers got only 5.2 points out of last season’s power forward, Reggie Evans.

“I feel even stronger and tougher once I’ve got Elton Brand behind me,” Stefanski said. “I’d have to say, yes, we have closed the gap.”

Hmm…have they really?

Let’s see!

Do you think Elton Brand could be the next Allen Iverson to take them to the Finals?

Tags: allen iverson, elton brand, smack energy bar

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