Clippers' Coach Mike Dunleavy is saying that the circumstances which saw Elton Brand become a Sixer is "the strangest and most shocking" experience in his career, the Philadelphia Daily News is reporting.

According to Dunleavy, the Clippers had a verbal commitment from Brand that he would sign a five year, $70 million contract to remain with the team, only for Brand to then commit to Philadelphia.

"People around the league who know me know I tell the truth," Dunleavy said in a telephone conversation yesterday. "And in this case, too many people know the truth. We had a verbal agreement at $70 million. A verbal agreement is not binding, I know that. Just come back and say, 'I changed my mind.' Just say it. Nobody can do anything about it."

Brand's agent David Falk said he had not come to any agreement with the Clippers, and any and all discussions regarding Brand should have gone through him.

"To say that we had a verbal agreement is absolutely, categorically not true," Falk said. "We had one discussion. I never committed to anything. They're embarrassed that they lost him."