But forgetting Thursday would be difficult: First, the embarrassing, pathetic, 25-point, season-ending loss, then Theo Ratliff's harsh words against coach Tony DiLeo, and then Andre Iguodala's call for a personnel change, his insinuation that the team had "inner turmoil" throughout the season.

"In every team, you're going to have rifts," DiLeo explained a day after the 114-89 loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. "When you're around each other all year, you have issues, like a family."

"That was a field day for you guys," said Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski, referring to Thursday's postgame interviews.

Both Stefanski and DiLeo said they have not discussed DiLeo's possible return as the team's coach, and that they will sit down soon to discuss moving forward.

DiLeo said Ratliff's comments - criticizing the coaching staff as "too soft" on the players - would not affect his decision. DiLeo said he thought he did a good job and would only return as coach if he thought it best for the team.

"Every decision I made I tried to make it for the benefit of the team," DiLeo said.

But despite the unilateral damage control the organization employed for yesterday's season-ending mandatory team meeting, more drama, not less, was created.

Ratliff and point guard Andre Miller, both unrestricted free agents, were no-shows for the final meeting. Andre Miller's agent, Andy Miller, said the point guard's absence was a result of miscommunication but would not go into details. "Andre's absence was in no way a subtle indication to the Sixers ," the agent said last night. Further, Miller said after meeting with his client that Andre's top choice is to remain a Sixer .

Stefanski later heard from Miller's agent, who said his client was unaware the meeting was mandatory. "Do we want Andre back?" Stefanski said earlier in the day, "We'd like to have him back."

The general manager, however, had not heard from Ratliff as of 7 p.m. last night.

Ratliff's absence was perhaps more explicable since only hours earlier he had expressed his frustration - to cameras and writers alike - with the coaching staff.

"The coaches are responsible for guys [being] prepared and playing," Ratliff said after the game. "They have to hold guys accountable. It's been that way all year, so you couldn't expect anything different.

"You have to step up and get into guys. If [as the coach] you don't have that type of personality, to be able to go at guys. . . ."

Stefanski said he was disappointed with Ratliff's comments, but praised the veteran center's effort this season.

DiLeo said he disagreed with Ratliff's comments. "I saw his comments," DiLeo said. "I don't agree with his comments. We do hold players accountable. I'm not the type of coach who will yank a player after one mistake . . . I don't agree with him."

Stefanski said the team had already scheduled final meetings with each player, to be held next week, but the final team meeting was a mandatory team function.

"They're part of the team," DiLeo said. "We wanted them here."

Most of the players went through individual interviews with Stefanski and DiLeo at the team meeting at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Between the team and individual meetings, players spoke about where this team might be headed after consecutive .500 seasons, consecutive six-game, first-round playoff losses.

"I don't think I can say it, but I think we're going down," said swingman Iguodala.

Immediately after Thursday's game, Iguodala said this team needed to make moves.

"It's going to be a busy summer," said Iguodala on Thursday. "I'm going to sit down with Ed and discuss what I think will get us over the [hump]."

Yesterday, Iguodala's position had shifted. "When you want to become better and you want to get to the next level . . . you tweak things for the better."

Iguodala's insinuation that he would "sit down" with Stefanski and "discuss" personnel seemed optimistic.

Is that Iguodala's role?

"No," Stefanski said.

"I'll take input, but I'll have to make the final decisions."

Stefanski said all of yesterday's one-on-one meetings were open communication, with players voicing concerns and vice versa.

Stefanski said emotions were running high after Thursday night's loss, that he believes much of the controversy came from frustration, not genuine disenchantment.

"A lot of that came from the emotions of a very poor performance, especially from Theo," Stefanski said. "His emotions got away."

DiLeo conceded the team did not have the pieces it needed to compete at the highest level. "The fans want improvement, and God knows the organization wants to improve," Stefanski said.

Contact staff writer Kate Fagan at 856-779-3844

or kfagan@phillynews.com.