Good morning. Have your coffee ready? Are you sitting down? Actually, I don’t think any of that matters, because I’m not sure you’ll particularly care, but… per a report in the New York Daily News, New York Knicks president Leon Rose is believed to have interest in making Sixers GM Elton Brand his new general manager:

Now, there are a couple of issues here that we’ll get to in a moment, but let me ask you: do you care? Should any of us care? Let’s start with the logistical issue. Elton Brand is under contract for another year, making any potential poaching by the Knicks a non-issue at the moment. The Inquirer‘s Keith Pompey weighed in on Twitter and some people thought it was a big deal:

That “team source” 100% reads as follows:

  • Pompey sees report
  • Pompey texts/emails/calls a Sixers PR rep
  • PR rep sends the info above

That’s not much in the way of a “source”, but to each his own. Want more proof it wasn’t much of a “source”? Take a look at what two other writers wrote.

Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice said in his article:

A team source stressed to PhillyVoice that Brand is under contract beyond this season, and said that the organization is happy with how he has led the franchise since being promoted to the role in 2018, valuing his leadership and connections around the league (both internally and externally).

Paul Hudrick of NBC Sports Philadelphia wrote:

A team source on Wednesday confirmed Brand is under contract beyond this season and said the organization is very happy with his work since being named GM in 2018. The source cited Brand’s leadership and strong working relationships with players, agents, and executives around the league.

Wow. It’s almost as if they all had the same PR “source”. I digress.

None of this is new info as the team has touted Brand’s clout as a former player as a helpful factor in relating to players in free agency. If I were another GM, I’d also love having Brand in charge of a team with potential assets.

Let’s look at his track record from the past season:

He got fleeced in the Tobias Harris trade that not only cost young sharpshooter Landry Shamet, but draft compensation in the way of the Sixers’ protected 2020 first-round pick (#1-14 through 2020 at which time it converts to second-round picks in 2023 and 2024), Miami’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick, as well as Detroit’s 2021 and 2023 second-round picks. Oh yeah, the Sixers then signed Harris to an absolutely ludicrous 5-yr, $180m contract.

Brand made his interest in Matisse Thybulle so obvious that Danny Ainge extracted pick compensation in the same way Sam Hinkie did in drafting Elfrid Payton and flipping him for Dario Saric and a pick.

Brand also acquired Al Horford this off-season to the tune of $109 million over four years. He completed a sign-and-trade of Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat – whereby creating a legit 2-5 seed East for the next few seasons – in exchange for Josh Richardson, who the team would have to dive into the deepest depths of cap hell to re-sign.

Leon Rose wants Elton Brand? He can have him. At least this time Brand will have a bit of a resume as an NBA executive before getting hired to a front office role in a top market. They say every rose has its thorn. If Leon gets Brand, he’ll find one in his side.