Source: Mavs to pursue Elton Brand

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The Dallas Mavericks will make a "very aggressive bid" for Elton Brand in the amnesty waiver process, a source close to the situation told ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan on Wednesday.

The Philadelphia 76ers have used their amnesty clause on the 6-foot-8 Brand, making him eligible for teams under the salary cap to put in bids. Whichever team places the winning bid will earn Brand's services and will pay that amount off the $18.2 million he's owed next season, the final year of his contract.

By virtue of using the amnesty clause on Brendan Haywood and agreeing to a one-year deal with fellow center Chris Kaman, the Mavs have a substantial amount of cap space to make a strong bid for Brand.

"(The Mavs) are going to save Philly a lot of money," the source said.

Brand averaged 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds last season for Philadelphia.

Haywood still will receive the remainder of his salary, $27.2 million over the next three seasons. A fourth season is non-guaranteed. By using their amnesty clause on Haywood, the Mavs wipe out the $8.3 million on this season's payroll.

Kaman, who appears likely to take over as Dallas' starting center, will make $8 million and eat up the remainder of the Mavs' salary-cap space.

Haywood, 32, averaged 5.2 points and 6.0 rebounds last season after replacing Tyson Chandler as Dallas' starter. Haywood's production severely dipped during the first-round playoff sweep to the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he averaged just 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.3 minutes.

With the two moves, the Mavs still have seven players under contract.

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