When the Sixers acquired Elton Brand, all kinds of expectations came right along with him. Early on in the season the Sixers were struggling and Brand went down with a season ending injury, it seemed as if all was lost, but that was not the case at all. The 76ers recovered quite nicely and found themselves in the playoffs and even had a chance to knock off the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. With that sustained success without Elton Brand, one would have to wonder whether or not he can and will fit within their system.

Philly is looking for a coach to lead this team after letting interim coach Tony DiLeo go after the playoffs. Depending on who is bought in will determine how they’ll use Elton Brand. With the possibility of Samuel Dalembert not coming back, the Sixers are going to need someone down low on the blocks to control the interior. That’s what the Sixers bought Brand in for and what’s what they expect from him.

By: Dustin Chapman

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• Selected Marreese Speights 16th overall.

Marreese Speights is a very solid pick for Philadelphia at 16, as he has a great deal of potential and fills a hole at the 4-spot. However, there may have been a better player at the same position on the board. Who, you ask? The same player that virtually everybody else passed on, Darrell Arthur. His fit with an up-tempo team like Philly is tremendous, and many outsiders believed that he was the guy at 16 if he was available.


Regardless, Speights can be a player. Questions have been raised regarding his hunger to become a good player, he’s got all the physical tools. Let’s hope he has the mental tools to go with it.


Grade: B