Philadelphia 76ers: Gerald Henderson is the Veteran Presence Now

With Elton Brand now off of the roster, the Philadelphia 76ers will look to guard Gerald Henderson to be their veteran presence moving forward.

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.

With Brand out, it was slightly unclear how that would happen for the Sixers. But the torch has been passed from Elton Brand to Gerald Henderson.

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Although it’s becoming more and more evident as the Sixers regular season approaches that Henderson is the veteran presence, this is something Brand and Henderson actually discussed.

During the Sixers final preseason game against the Miami Heat, Brand said to Henderson, “it’s your team now, dawg.”

Head coach Brett Brown also recently had good things to say about what he expects from Henderson as the veteran voice.

"“We need him to have a big year on the court and to have a big year in the locker room because Elton Brand just left and Jerryd Bayless isn’t playing… He is carrying the flag from a leadership perspective”"

But Henderson wants to make sure that people know he’s more than just a voice. He wants to be a leader in the mode that he plays in. That’s encouraging to hear, because Elton Brand certainly wasn’t great as far as being a leader on the court goes. He had his moments, but he wasn’t a player you could rely on for huge games.

"Leadership has to do with all facets. I’m just not here to talk and tell people what to do. I’m bringing my game, and I’m looking forward that."

We shouldn’t have really been expecting a ton from Brand, who was 37 years old when he retired just the other day. But Henderson is only 28, and has a lot to do in his career still.

“I think I still have a lot left in the tank,” Henderson said to Keith Pompey of Philly.com.

Henderson has been a solid player on the floor throughout his career so far. Entering his eighth season, Henderson is putting up an average of 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He’s also shot 44.2 percent from the field, and 31.9 percent from beyond the arc.

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Those aren’t All-Star numbers by any means, but on a Sixers roster that will be lucky to win 25 or 30 games, Henderson certainly can be a leader. Despite him playing in just 15 playoff games, the Sixers really only need a veteran presence that has appeared in the regular season and been there with consistency.

Henderson has been lucky to avoid injuries for the most part during his career, appearing in 463 games so far.

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One chapter may be closed with Elton Brand retiring. His time off is much deserved. It’s time for someone else to motivate the young guys, and the attitude Henderson is approaching this season with indicates that he will be a solid voice of influence for the young players.