When Elton Brand announced his retirement from the NBA was coming at the conclusion of the preseason this season, the Philadelphia 76ers lost a great man on their roster. Brand was a leader in the locker room, and his seemingly endless experiences to share with the younger players on the Sixers roster were paying off.
Brand was by no means an incredibly impactful player on the floor, but the intangibles he offered as a veteran presence are hard to match. But a lot of successful teams, especially ones that have young and impressionable players on their roster, have veteran presences on their squads teaching the younger players.