Elton Brand seriously injured - out till 2008?

Always sad when a first round fantasy player gets injured even before the season starts. The news this morning is that he ruptured his left Achilles' tendon on Friday during his daily workout.

The 28-year-old will undergo surgery but plans for the operation have not been finalized yet, the Clippers said. With Livingston out next season and possibly Elton Brand out for most of the year, who will pick up the slack for the Clippers?

Will the team go into rebuilding mode, tank the season and go for the nr. 1 pick at the 2008 draft? Last year they signed Tim Thomas as a free agent in one of the worst deals during last years offseason, he played mainly SF last season and I don´t see them giving him these Brand minutes as this team is going nowhere with Cassell as their only point guard and without Brand this team scares no one. Al Thornton should start at PF and the 14th pick of this years draft could be a surprise rookie of the year if everything goes well.