When Elton Brand signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this past week, he was the latest in a line of players who have left the Los Angeles Clippers in search of greener pastures.

Brand had been the face of the organization since arriving in Los Angeles prior to the 2001 season, serving as team spokesman and fan favorite.

So with the news of his departure, many fans and media folks are upset he "took the money and ran."

Even before he officially signed the contract, local sports talk shows were filled with bitter Clippers fans proclaiming their hate for a player who always gave his best for them and the team.

I can't see how anyone could be upset with Brand or be surprised by his decision.

Six of the seven seasons he spent in a Clippers uniform were losing seasons and he experienced the playoffs only once in that time.

For a player who was a winner at every other level, losing that much had to be very tough to take.

But Brand never complained. All he did was play hard and give his best effort.

During his seven seasons with the Clippers, Brand was a model of consistency, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and playing an average of 38 minutes per game.

Even this past season, when he injured his Achilles tendon, he worked hard to recover so he could play at the end of the season. Most players would have simply sat back, collected his huge paycheck and waited until next season to return. But that's not the way Brand does things.

When Baron Davis announced he was going to sign with the Clippers, most people expected Brand to return to the Clippers.

Even as recently as a few weeks ago, Brand expressed the belief he probably would return.

Perhaps the Clippers let that lull them into a false sense of security, because they never made Brand feel like he was a high priority to them.

And don't forget, Brand tried to leave Los Angeles once before as a restricted free agent. He signed an offer sheet with Miami, but returned to the Clippers once the deal was matched.

Agent David Falk said Brand was given a take-it-or-leave-it offer from the Clippers on June 30 at significantly less than what Brand signed for in Philadelphia.

If they really wanted Brand back, the Clippers should have made him feel more welcome. They could have offered him a deal worth more, but they didn't even match the Philadelphia offer until a day before Brand left.

Instead of being bitter, Clippers fans should wish Brand well. When he returns next season, stand and thank him for seven strong seasons. He deserves it.

— Bob Buttitta is a sports writer for The Star. He can be reached at bbuttitta@VenturaCountyStar.com. Wire services contributed to this column.