Phil Sheridan: Brand deal a giant leap

By Phil Sheridan Inquirer Sports Columnist It isn't hard to calculate how long the 76ers had gone since making a move as aggressive and promising as yesterday's signing of power forward Elton Brand. Take the most aggravating number in Philadelphia sports - 25, the years since the city's last major sports championship - and add one. You get 26, the number of years since the Sixers acquired Moses Malone. This is not coincidental. The deal for Malone in the summer of 1982 led directly to the parade down Broad Street in the spring of 1983. This is the franchise's boldest stroke since then. There is a catch. In Philadelphia, there is always a catch. Malone was brought in to complete a team that included Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, Bobby Jones, and a point guard by the name of Maurice Cheeks. Without Moses, the Sixers were... [read full story]