Bulls' struggles surprise Brand

[Bulls Dynasty]

출처 : www.dailyherald.com/sports
Special to the Daily Herald
Posted January 28, 2004

LOS ANGELES - It has been about 2?years since the Bulls sent former No. 1 pick Elton Brand to the Los Angeles Clippers for the rights to Tyson Chandler on draft night 2001.

Many would argue that was when the Bulls' rebuilding plan went awry.

By making that trade, the Bulls committed to a future built around two college-skipping big men, Chandler and Eddy Curry. Now in their third NBA seasons, Curry has been slow to develop and Chandler has missed 35 games with a sore back.

Meanwhile, Brand, 24, has developed into one of the league's best power forwards. He had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the Clippers' relatively easy 102-92 victory over the Bulls on Tuesday night at the Staples Center.

The Bulls (13-32) kicked off a seven-game trip by losing their 21st consecutive road game to a Western Conference opponent.

"It seems like a long time ago, even though it isn't," Brand said of his two seasons with the Bulls.

He doesn't follow his former team as closely as he used to, but Brand is as surprised as anyone that the Bulls had the league's second-worst record heading into Tuesday's games.

"I thought they would be better," Brand said. "The fans are probably wondering what's going on. When I was there, it was like, 'OK, you guys are supposed to stink.' Five years after, I'm sure they're getting a little antsy."

Brand had reason to be concerned about his own future last summer. He was a restricted free agent and didn't mind staying with the Clippers. But as one of six Clippers free agents, Brand wasn't sure what the team would look like if he returned.

He could have signed for one year and become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Then reality and a financially secure future set in.

"I didn't want to take the risk," Brand said. "I didn't know what would happen this year. It's a tough decision to make when you have three or four teams chasing you. At 12:01 a.m. (on the first day of free-agent negotiating) I was getting phone calls and teams were offering the max."

Brand eventually signed an offer sheet from Miami for six-years and $82 million. The Clippers matched the deal, which essentially ties Brand to the team until 2009.

Only one other free agent returned to the Clippers, small forward Corey Maggette. It didn't turn out too badly. Maggette is Brand's former Duke teammate, who spent most of his freshman year sleeping on a couch in Brand's apartment.

"He's still my best friend," Brand said.

Eddie Robinson had a hot hand for the Bulls. After missing the previous two games with a groin strain, Robinson scored a team-high 17 points and hit 8 of 9 shots. Scottie Pippen played eight minutes after missing one game with a sore left knee.

[AND.1]

이게 도대체 무슨말이죠.....영어 못하는 놈은 서러워서ㅜㅜ;

[코비화이팅]

위에님 제생각하고 똑같네요..ㅋ 가끔 뉴스게시판이나 I love NBA 게시판 보면 온통 영어 투성이라..곤란할 때가 많음..ㅋ 그 때 마다 선수 이름만 찾고 치움 ㅋㅋ

[왜?몰라!]

대강 클리퍼스랑 불스게임을 보고 브랜드와 챈들러에대한 내용인거 같네요. 뭐, 브랜드하고 챈들러하고 바꾼거에 대한 내용도 있고, 클리퍼스가 마이애미가 6년간 82밀리언 오퍼한것을 매치해서 2009년까지 브랜드가 클리퍼스에 있어야 된다그러고-_-;; 그리고 브랜드하고 매거티하고 친한가보군요..ㅡㅡ;;

[nbaking]

브랜드하고 매거티는 같은 대학출신이죠...

[바스켓카운트]

듀크... 이들에게는 부상의 악령이 안나타나길