BIGGEST NEEDS:

The Sixers landed the power forward they craved in unrestricted free agent Elton Brand, thanks to a five-year, $83-million contract. That took care of their weakest position with Brand, a career 20-point, 10-rebound guy. The team added a backup point guard in Royal Ivey, a decent outside shooter in Kareem Rush and a backup big man in Theo Ratliff--all to veterans' minimum contracts. All that's left is a few non-guaranteed players to round out the roster for the Sept. 30 start of camp.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: G Kevin Ollie, F Shavlik Randolph, F Louis Amundson and F/C Herbert Hill are unrestricted free agents who the Sixers renounced. C Calvin Booth was traded to the Timberwolves to clear cap space after picking up a $1.14 million player option. G Louis Williams signed a five-year deal worth roughly $25 million to remain a Sixer. F/G Andre Iguodala agreed to a six-year, $80-million deal. Theo Ratliff signed a one-year deal for the 10-year minimum of $1.26 million to back up Samuel Dalembert at center.

PLAYER NOTES:

--PF Jason Smith tore his left ACL during a basketball drill and is expected to miss the season. Smith, a second-year pro, would have been the Sixers' backup center. The Sixers may not have signed Theo Ratliff if Smith didn't get hurt.

--F/G Andre Iguodala turned down the team's five-year, $57-million offer last October and that actually benefited the Sixers, even though he just agreed to a significantly bigger deal. Had Iguodala signed the $57 million contract, the Sixers wouldn't have had enough money to land Brand with a five-year, $82.9 million deal. "We would've had to make a lot more moves to get that cap space for Elton," said team president Ed Stefanski. "It would have been a lot more difficult. So thank you, Andre. Elton, thank you also."

--G Andre Miller would've received a phone call from Stefanski about a possible contract extension except he doesn't have an agent. Miller is no longer represented by Lon Babby. Stefanski had hoped to discuss a possible extension?-probably for one or two years-?that would kick in after Miller makes $10 million this season, but not having an agent complicates matters.