Keith Glass

76ers guard Royal Ivey, currently a free agent, posted the following message yesterday on Twitter: "Going back to Philly!" The message left some Sixers fans with the impression that Ivey was announcing his return to the team. Ivey played the 2008-09 season with the Sixers, averaging 3.0 points in a backup role before opting out of the second year of his contract in mid-June. Ivey's agent, Keith Glass, said he has discussed with the Sixers a new contract for his client. But he said that nothing has been finalized and that Ivey's message was intended to mean he was physically returning to Philadelphia and was not meant as an update on his contract.

76ers reserve guard Royal Ivey yesterday declined the player option on his contract for the 2009-10 season, joining point guard Andre Miller as an unrestricted free agent. Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski announced Ivey's decision in a news release but did not respond to a request for further comment. Ivey's agent, Keith Glass, did not immediately return calls. Ivey's decision means both he and Miller can sign with any team when NBA free agency begins July 1. Stefanski has said the team would attempt to re-sign Miller but would have no indication of the team's chances until the opening of free agency.

Whoever represents Vincent Askew, Vincent Askew represents the future. In this case, Keith Glass represented Askew, the 76ers' first of two choices in the second round of June's draft. Glass did not have a whole lot of leverage, in part because Askew was also represented by Rob Carroll, of San Francisco, early in the summer and by Jimmy Sexton and Kyle Rote Jr., of Memphis, briefly in midsummer. Glass, who has offices in New York and New Jersey, hung in there and wound up as the agent across the bargaining table from Sixers general manager John Nash.

On Saturday, Royal Ivey posted a Twitter message that said, "Going back to Philly!" Barring an unexpected fallout, this will be the case. Ivey, who served as a backup guard last season for the 76ers and is a free agent, is finalizing a contract that would secure his return to the Sixers, according to multiple sources. Ivey had said the Twitter message was meant to inform his Twitter followers that he was physically traveling back to Philadelphia, but the message was interpreted by some fans as an announcement of an accepted contract with the Sixers.

Trevor Wilson, a victim of last summer's NBA lockout, has become one more beneficiary of the 76ers' struggling start. The Sixers (3-13) signed Wilson to a one-year, pro-rated minimum salary contract, creating roster space by placing recently acquired forward-guard Sean Higgins on the injured list with what the team called a sore left thumb. That's funny, because Wilson, a 6-8 forward, is effectively hitching a ride after playing for a pro team in France and going to training camp with Seattle.

Armon Gilliam says the 76ers' locker room will be a little calmer, a little more serene in 1992-93. And there is every reason to believe the 6-9 Gilliam will be a part of it. Gilliam, 28, and backup point guard Greg Grant, 25, both restricted free agents, are expected to be tendered qualifying offers today. According to the collective bargaining agreement, a team can retain the negotiating rights to a restricted free agent already earning $200,000 or more by tendering an offer of 125 percent of the previous season's contract at the same terms and conditions.

At least three former local collegiate players will be among the 20 or so rookie free agents participating in the 76ers rookie camp, which opens next Wednesday. Sixers general manager John Nash said yesterday that Howie Evans from Temple; Kevin Springman, formerly of St. Joseph's University, and Chris Burke, formerly of Widener, had accepted invitations to the rookie camp, which will take place at St. Joseph's Fieldhouse. Evans and Burke currently are members of the Philadelphia Aces of the United States Basketball Association.

The St. Joseph's Fieldhouse was not a great place to be yesterday, unless your name was Michael Anderson. The Philadelphia Aces' 5:30 p.m. workout on their home floor - two hours after the NBA had completed its annual exercise in guessork - was as much an exercise in encouraging the disappointed as it was a basketball practice. Anderson was being congratulated by his teammates for his selection in the third round by the Indiana Pacers. For three other members of the United States Basketball League Aces - Temple's Howard Evans, La Salle's Tim Legler and Villanova's Mark Plansky - there were only words of consolation.

Greg Grant was already in the 76ers' record book as one of four players under 6 feet ever to play for the team. Now he's about to become the only one ever to play for them twice. Grant was scheduled to catch a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia last night and is expected to sign today with the Sixers. The 5-7 Grant, who appeared with the San Diego Wildcards in their only game this season in the Continental Basketball Association, first joined the Sixers during the 1991-92 season, spent all of '92-93 with them, then became an unrestricted free agent.

These are uncharted waters, and nobody has an oar. Amid widespread confusion over new salary-cap rules, NBA training facilities were reopened to players yesterday while lawyers for the league and union worked to put the lockout settlement in writing. "It's like my college poker games: They're making the rules up as they go along," said agent Keith Glass, one of several people around the league who described the situation as chaotic. The lockout will remain in effect until the agreement is finalized, with Jan. 18 set as the target date for opening training camps and allowing trades and free agents signings to commence.

On Saturday, Royal Ivey posted a Twitter message that said, "Going back to Philly!" Barring an unexpected fallout, this will be the case. Ivey, who served as a backup guard last season for the 76ers and is a free agent, is finalizing a contract that would secure his return to the Sixers, according to multiple sources. Ivey had said the Twitter message was meant to inform his Twitter followers that he was physically traveling back to Philadelphia, but the message was interpreted by some fans as an announcement of an accepted contract with the Sixers.

76ers guard Royal Ivey, currently a free agent, posted the following message yesterday on Twitter: "Going back to Philly!" The message left some Sixers fans with the impression that Ivey was announcing his return to the team. Ivey played the 2008-09 season with the Sixers, averaging 3.0 points in a backup role before opting out of the second year of his contract in mid-June. Ivey's agent, Keith Glass, said he has discussed with the Sixers a new contract for his client. But he said that nothing has been finalized and that Ivey's message was intended to mean he was physically returning to Philadelphia and was not meant as an update on his contract.

76ers reserve guard Royal Ivey yesterday declined the player option on his contract for the 2009-10 season, joining point guard Andre Miller as an unrestricted free agent. Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski announced Ivey's decision in a news release but did not respond to a request for further comment. Ivey's agent, Keith Glass, did not immediately return calls. Ivey's decision means both he and Miller can sign with any team when NBA free agency begins July 1. Stefanski has said the team would attempt to re-sign Miller but would have no indication of the team's chances until the opening of free agency.

Dennis Rodman changed his mind yesterday and decided not to retire after all. The NBA's most outrageous player posted a message on his Internet site announcing his un-retirement, and his agent, Dwight Manley, confirmed that the seven-time rebounding champion wants to return to professional basketball. "I've been reviewing my options," Rodman wrote, "and those options still include playing in the NBA this season with a contender. Chicago, New York and L. A. are all cities I'd like to play in. Playing overseas could be pretty cool, too. " Rodman had announced his retirement on Tuesday as rumors spread that he was about to be traded to the New York Knicks.

These are uncharted waters, and nobody has an oar. Amid widespread confusion over new salary-cap rules, NBA training facilities were reopened to players yesterday while lawyers for the league and union worked to put the lockout settlement in writing. "It's like my college poker games: They're making the rules up as they go along," said agent Keith Glass, one of several people around the league who described the situation as chaotic. The lockout will remain in effect until the agreement is finalized, with Jan. 18 set as the target date for opening training camps and allowing trades and free agents signings to commence.

On one side, a group of agents insists the latest proposal to the NBA from the players union represents "the greatest deal in the history of sports. " On the other side, at least one agent is attempting to put together a petition demanding that the National Basketball Players Association allow its rank and file to vote on what commissioner David Stern has termed the league's final offer. The one sure thing in the lockout that has been in place since July 1 is that Stern has set a Jan. 7 deadline to determine whether to cancel the remainder of the season.

The Chicago Bulls have asked the Phoenix Suns for permission to talk with assistant Scott Skiles about replacing Phil Jackson as coach, the Arizona Republic said yesterday Skiles declined to comment on whether the Bulls or any other team had contacted him. Skiles' agent, Keith Glass, would not confirm the report. Skiles, 34, is considered one of the hot young coaching prospects in the NBA. He played in the league for 10 years and holds the NBA record with 30 assists in a game.

Peter Flach said he understands why some might think his friendship with basketball prodigy Tim Thomas, which began when Thomas was in 10th grade, is a case of "the fox guarding the henhouse. " But, Flach said, "sometimes there are honorable foxes. " Flach, 41, has earned commissions for recruiting football and basketball players for agents Kyle Rote Jr. and Jimmy Sexton, partners in the Memphis, Tenn., firm Athletic Resource Management. Before that, Flach was associated with agents in Denver.

John Lucas says he knew. Says he knew before the 76ers' season started. Says it took him this long to complete the necessary housecleaning. Housecleaning? Lucas has torched his own roster, enduring a 3-16 record that includes last night's 104-91 loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets. A point guard? The Sixers' coach and general manager says he knew from the start that he really didn't have one, that he was praying Vernon Maxwell could hold the fort until he could acquire an experienced one. He has one now. Lucas agreed to terms yesterday with Scott Skiles, a 31- year-old veteran with nine seasons of experience, most recently with the Washington Bullets last season.

Trevor Wilson, a victim of last summer's NBA lockout, has become one more beneficiary of the 76ers' struggling start. The Sixers (3-13) signed Wilson to a one-year, pro-rated minimum salary contract, creating roster space by placing recently acquired forward-guard Sean Higgins on the injured list with what the team called a sore left thumb. That's funny, because Wilson, a 6-8 forward, is effectively hitching a ride after playing for a pro team in France and going to training camp with Seattle.