Where Does Vincent Lecavalier Rank Among Philly Free-Agent Busts?

5. Elton Brand (2008, five-year deal worth $82 million)

The Sixers have gone through so much heartbreak in just the last decade alone when it comes to acquiring big-name talent.

We’ve seen plenty of trades blow up in their face (Chris Webber, Andrew Bynum), but the Elton Brand signing was the rare occasion where the Sixers were able to lure a big-ticket free agent to Philadelphia on a max-contract.

Brand spurned his old team the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies to come play in Philadelphia. He was set to join a young, up-and-coming squad that had given the heavily favored Detroit Pistons a solid run for their money in the 2007 playoffs, and put them over the top.

He was to give the team a true star, a strong low-post presence that would help open things up for his teammates. The Sixers talked about Brand giving them 20 points and 10 rebounds a night.

However, it was not to be. During his first season with the club, it became apparent right away that Brand wasn’t a good fit for the athletic Sixers who were built around the fast break, and wanted to run, while Elton was more suited for traditional half-court offense.

Brand and the Sixers were ineffective and disappointing in the first half of 2008, leading the firing of head coach Maurice Cheeks. The power forward would later be lost for the season to a shoulder injury.

Brand didn’t begin to make an impact on the Sixers until his third year with the club when Doug Collins became head coach.

Brand ended up giving the Sixers two solid seasons before being waived with the amnesty clause, but never averaged higher than 15 points or 8.8 rebounds during his four years in Philadelphia, falling well short of the 20-10 expectations.