The first full post-Allen Iverson year was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the 76ers. Let Andre Iguodala get comfortable as the No. 1 option, save cap space for the summer, and maybe get a high draft pick.

But something funny happened—the team gelled under the steady leadership of Andre Miller and Reggie Evans while youngsters like Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams, and Rodney Carney evolved. The team made the playoffs and gave the Detroit Pistons a scare.

With a flurry of big moves this offseason, the 76ers are poised to step into the top tier of the East.

In the biggest move, Philly nabbed Elton Brand, the double-double machine. In his last full season, the 6′8″ power forward averaged 20.5 points, 9.3 boards, and 2.2 blocks a game while shooting over 53 percent from the field.

An excellent on-ball shot blocker, and a quiet leader, Brand has a good-not-great offensive game that mainly revolves around mid-range jumpers and garbage buckets. His low-post game isn’t devastating, but it’s far more effective than anything the 76ers had.

But the biggest question is how Brand will bounce back from a ruptured Achilles. If he can come back to his 2006 form, it will make his nearly $80 million contract worth it. Additionally, his signing means Young will have to get time at the small forward spot – better work on that jumper young man.

The Sixers also re-signed Williams to a five-year deal at a fairly reasonable rate. The part-time radio DJ is coming off a year in which he averaged 11.5 points in about 23 minutes, and he is getting better. His shooting percentage and defense need work, but the Sixers have a nice piece locked up.

One of the main weaknesses of the team was its lack of outside shooting. The team had shipped out Kyle Korver in a cap-friendly deal earlier in the year, and they never really recovered. To address this, the team signed Kareem Rush.

Despite a sweet stroke, Rush has bounced around the league and was recently replaced by his younger brother Brandon in Indiana. If he can keep his head straight, Rush should help create space for Brand down low.

The Sixers also signed combo guard Royal Ivey, who probably won’t see much time but is a good defender. Their draft pick Marreese Speights is a big body that may be pressed into service now that promising young big man Jason Smith suffered a season-ending injury. Recently-signed Theo Ratliff may not get many minutes, but he’s capable of 10 minutes a night of solid defense.

The Sixers got rid of a major distraction by signing Iguodala to a six-year deal, worth up to $80 million. The 24-year-old averaged nearly 20 points, 5.4 boards, about 5 assists, and more than 2 steals last year. At first, I thought it was too much money for a guy who still struggles to create his own shot, but he’s been steadily improving, and Brand’s presence should make it easier for him.

Joining him in the backcourt is the veteran Miller, who may drop off a bit, but should be a solid quarterback for the team. Samuel Dalembert is still overpaid at more than $10 million a year, but he should be a better defender with Brand on the court. 

With the Brand signing the Sixers are facing something they haven’t seen for a while: high expectations. I see the 76ers as the third or fourth best team in the East, and, depending on the team’s playoff matchups, they could easily get to the Eastern Conference Finals. Of course, no one on this team has had that kind of success, will they be able to pull it off?