Brand to 76ers, Spurns Davis

I am all about athletes doing what is best for themselves, though I may sometimes disagree with the methods they take to do so. Case in point is Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer, who lied for months to the Cleveland Cavaliers, promising the team and its owner he would re-sign with them, continue to play with LeBron James and help build a winner. Cleveland stopped looking to acquire big-time free agents and were devistated when Boozer signed an offer sheet with Utah behind their backs on July 1. Why did he do so? Well, the Jazz offered $28 million more.

Yesterday's not-so-shocking development of Elton Brand agreeing to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers first got me thinking about Boozer. No, Brand didn't promise the city of Los Angeles he would stay, nor did he sit down with owner Donald Sterling and guarantee he would be back next year. However, one does have to wonder if he had struck a deal with pal and newest Los Angeles Clippers point guard Baron Davis.

It seemed fishy when, at the start of free agency, Davis and Brand both made initial statements that in an ideal world they would stay at their respective clubs (Golden State, L.A. Clippers.) Then, as quick and as shocking as lightning, Davis signed with the Clippers for $65 million. The Clippers' signed Davis to bolster their team, figuring they were going to lose Corey Maggette but would be able to re-sign Brand and have the twosome lead the team. No doubt Davis had this thought as well.

While I don't think Brand has any reason to feel guilty, that does not mean he shouldn't apologize. Not to the Clippers or Sterling, even though his intentions to stay led them to throw big money at Davis and dream of a legitimate, competative team. Brand should apologize to Davis. Because now, the talented PG who couldn't find a team to lead is stuck with the Clippers and neither Brand nor Maggette is there to help. Whether they had a deal or not is irrelevant, Brand led him astray with his comments and chose money over winning. Not that there's anything wrong with that.