NBA notebook: 76ers to promote Brand to GM role
The Philadelphia 76ers will name former on-court star Elton Brand, who had two separate stints for the team in his 17-year playing career, to fill the club's vacant general manager role, ESPN reported Tuesday. NBA sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Brand will be promoted from his current position as the team's vice president of basketball operations. Per the report, Brand will be announced as the new GM at a press conference on Thursday. Wojnarowski said that Brand, 39, impressed both team ownership and head coach Brett Brown during the team's extended interview process, one that raised eyebrows around the league for lasting months past the NBA draft in June as well as the start of free agency in July. The surprising choice of Brand to handle the team's GM duties will cap a turbulent off season for the up-and-coming 76ers, who leapt from just 10 wins two seasons ago to 52 last season. Brown has served as the interim GM since Bryan Colangelo was dismissed in June on the heels of a controversy surrounding Twitter burner accounts used to critique players and share privileged information. --Miami Heat president Pat Riley said that shooting guard Dion Waiters won't be ready for the start of training camp on Sept. 25 and likely will miss the start of the regular season. Waiters underwent surgery on the left ankle in mid-January and was informed at the time that he might not be available at the beginning of the season. Waiters averaged 14.3 points in 30 games last season. He played in his final game on Dec. 23 before undergoing the surgery a few weeks later. The Heat open the season on Oct. 18 against the Magic in Orlando and will have Dwyane Wade available to play shooting guard. Wade officially signed his one-year, $2.4 million deal on Tuesday. The 12-time All-Star has indicated this will be his final season. --Minnesota Timberwolves center Justin Patton had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot, the team announced. The procedure, performed in New York, was deemed successful in addressing the fractured fifth metatarsal in Patton's right foot. Per the team, the 6-foot-11 center will be out of action indefinitely and did not disclose a timetable for recovery. It marks the second straight year that Patton, the No. 16 overall pick in 2017, has sustained a broken foot before the season. Entering his rookie season last year, Patton fractured his left foot, which sidelined him for summer league and training camp. --The NBA salary cap is climbing to $109 million in 2019 and $118 million in 2020, The Athletic reported. Luxury-tax rates will be $132 million next season and $143 million in 2020, per the report. In June, the NBA announced it set the salary cap for the 2018-19 season at $101.9 million. --Field Level Media
