Back for more at the Sixers’ Camden practice facility.

Last night we were introduced to Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, and Mike Scott. This morning General Manager Elton Brand spoke to media for the first time since a whirlwind 48 hour period also saw the departure of Markelle Fultz and acquisition of James Ennis and Jonathon Simmons.

Brand began his 17 minute availability with an opening statement:

  • thanked Landry Shamet, Mike Muscala, Wilson Chandler, Markelle Fultz, plus ownership for their “support and commitment to helping us bring a championship to the city of Philadelphia and our fans.“
  • Believes the team is in position to contend now, “and our moves reflect that believe.”
  • Had to add a player like Tobias Harris when they had the opportunity, a high character guy and excellent three-point shooter
  • Ennis and Simmons add wing depth and are athletic guys that can help the team compete right now
  • Scott brings toughness and can shoot a bit, played with him in Atlanta from 2013-2015

The question portion of the press conference began with Howard Eskin cutting off Keith Pompey, who was actually holding the microphone and following the rules.

  • Team still has 3 first round picks and a bunch of second round picks moving forward, but “the goal was to win now.”
  • Buyout market: “We’re always going to look and see how we can improve our team. I think last year we got lucky at the buyout market. I think we’re good now, but if something comes up, we’re surely going to look at it.
  • On pushing the chips in right now, despite having young stars to build around in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid: “…the window is now, the opportunity is now…who knows how long this window is going to be open?”
  • The Clippers deal and a timeline: “a lot of ideas bounced around during the trade deadline, nothing specific, we weren’t sure, they weren’t sure, then it came about really fast… we had to negotiate back and forth a little bit but it was done about 2:30 in the morning, it happened really fast.”
  • Brand talked about all the players coming to Philly being “high character guys, players that really want to win and who are good people.. that was our goal”
  • Boban is an “internet sensation.”

The first Markelle Fultz question was about the idea that the Sixers couldn’t wait around for him and needed to do something right now to get better.

Brand:

The goal there, we expected him to be back at some time this season. That was our hope. But right now we had a chance to add a player, wing depth, so we had to go do it now.

A follow-up, after the jump, about sticking with Markelle through the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome diagnosis and rehab:

Just where we are in the season, integrating him in a month or so when we’d hoping he would have come back in two or three weeks. To add a piece now, get ready for the playoffs, and add some assets now, a first and second round pick, it just felt like it was the time to do it now.

More notes:

  • Tobias Harris a prolific three-point shooter and matchup problem
  • Brand has been given assurance from ownership that the team can bring back and sign both Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler. He thinks two months and playoffs will be enough time to see whether that core is good enough to keep together in the future.
  • He thinks Simmons and Ennis can really help their perimeter defensive problems

On Tuesday night, a fan was heckling Brand from the stands during the 1st half of the Raptors game, calling for Brand to go out and make a trade, to bring in NIkola Mirotic, all sorts of stuff like that. Brand got up, said “I got you,” and walked off.

I asked Elton if he had something in the works at that point, if the Clippers deal was finalized or if any of the ensuing moves were close to the finish line:

Absolutely not. I was kind of just talking trash back. I know that we put the work in and I knew that we had the chance to do some things, but I wasn’t sure. You know, this thing comes so fast, it’s a negotiation but I knew we had things that were close and in the works and I felt like the city and the fans would love them.

More:

  • A lot of teams got better at the trade deadline, but the goal is to get to the finals
  • RE: Boban – brings great front court depth, he was not a “throw-in, we think he’s going to help us.
  • Zhaire Smith is practicing with Blue Coats, progressing well and is expected to be back this year
  • They studied Jonathon Simmons’ injury and think he’s close to being the player he used to be

Here’s the video of the presser: