--The Sixers signed free agent guards Kareem Rush and Royal Ivey for their respective guaranteed minimum contracts. Rush should provide perimeter shooting, having hit a career-best 38.9 percent of his three-pointers last season while averaging 8.3 points and 21.2 minutes for the Pacers. He signed for the sixth-year minimum of $926,678. Ivey can play point and the "two" and is known as a good on-the-ball defender and pretty good ball-handler. He averaged 5.6 points, 2.1 assists and 19.2 minutes in 2007-08 for the Bucks. Ivey is earning the fifth-year minimum of $854,957.
--Sixers president Ed Stefanski said he's trying to sign a big man with experience in the league to round out the roster. Stefanski declined to name the player, who would have to sign for the league minimum. The Sixers' roster stands at 11, with restricted free agent Andre Iguodala likely to make it 12 when he signs. --The Sixers' 2008-09 schedule features a game at the Spectrum, which is where they played their home games from 1967-1996 and across the street from the Wachovia Center. Their March 13 meeting with the Bulls will be held at the Spectrum, which will be torn down next year to make room for a 300,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment complex adjacent to the Wachovia Center. The Sixers will also play seven games on national TV after having none during the 2007-08 regular season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I've been hearing everywhere we don't have three-point shooters. Well, we didn't really have to shoot three-pointers because we had guys who could get to the rim whenever." -- G Lou Williams, on the Sixers finishing 30th in the league last season in three-point percentage.
