Marreese Speights has an MCL tear that won't require surgery, but will sideline him for 6-8 weeks, which means we'll see you in 2010, kid.

At least the injury will answer this: What does Elton Brand have left in him? There will be no more fourth-quarter benchings, no more looking over his shoulder to see if Speights is going to glean minutes away from him. The Sixers need their $80 million man to start earning his checks, and this is his time to prove he isn't washed up.

G.M. Ed Stefanski has no plans to pick anyone from the scrap heap, so Jason Smith probably will get 15-20 minutes per night, and you might even see Primoz Brezec in a game or three.