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2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million

The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.

The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.

For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

Sixers want Josh Smith

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Joe Juliano) reports: With more than $11 million in salary-cap space available, the 76ers dove into free agency shortly after the bell rang at 12:01 a.m. yesterday and targeted Josh Smith, the young and talented forward of the Atlanta Hawks, as their primary prospect, but not their only one. The 6-foot-9 Smith, a restricted free agent, was contacted by the Sixers almost immediately. A team spokesman said Smith and his representatives planned to meet today with president and general manager Ed Stefanski. The spokesman also said the Sixers contacted Smith’s teammate, 6-8 forward Josh Childress, yesterday and expect to bring him to Philadelphia, but did not say when.

Sixers want to swipe Josh Smith

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Sekou Smith) blogs the following report: “Josh Smith is being targeted by Philadelphia with their $11 million-plus in available cap space. I know there is a small segment of people out there that think the Sixers might be using all this hype as a smokescreen and really be interested in making a sneak attack for Corey Maggette or even Elton Brand (if he does indeed opt out of his deal, we’ll know later today if he does or not). But Smith is the guy. And if the offer to Smith is frontloaded (think of the structure of the Hawks’ offer to Joe Johnson three years ago), things will get really complicated. The worst part is the Hawks had a 6-7, 235-pound cautionary tale on the roster in Johnson the last three years and still ignored it so they could dip their toes into the shark-infested waters this summer. It’s crazy.”

Several Sixers become unrestricted

The Philadelphia Daily News (Phil Jasner) reports: “Because the Sixers did not make qualifying offers, forwards Shavlik Randolph, Louis Amundson and Herbert Hill have become unrestricted free agents, joining guard Kevin Ollie. Backup center Calvin Booth exercised his player option to return for about $1.1 million . . . Published reports indicate that the Sixers have invited former Saint Joseph’s University shooter Pat Carroll and Arizona guard Jawaan McClellan to join their summer league team in Las Vegas. The Sixers will open a rookie camp out there on Sunday . . . As expected, Samuel Dalembert was named to Canada’s national team that will compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece, July 14-20.”

Sixers extend qualifying offers to Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Iguodala started all 82 games last season, averaging 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.09 steals in 39.5 minutes per game. He joined Washington’s Caron Butler as the only players among qualifiers to average at least 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.00 steals in 2007-08. Iguodala has played in 322 of a possible 328 games in his four-year career and has the third-most steals of any player dating back to the start of the 2004-05 season.

Williams appeared in 80 games last season and emerged as one of the NBA’s top sixth men, averaging 11.5 points, 3.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.01 steals in 23.3 minutes per game. He had the fifth highest point/rebound/assist total for any player coming off the bench last season. The 21-year-old also hit 55 three-pointers in 2007-08 after recording just 14 total his first two seasons in the league.

Allen Iverson stays with Nuggets

The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: With Friday the deadline for Iverson to opt out of the final year of his contract, the star guard decided not to do so and will return to the Nuggets next season for $20.84 million. The move first was reported by the Rocky Mountain News after Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, confirmed his client’s intentions in a phone interview. “Things have gone well for him (in Denver),” Rose said of Iverson, traded from Philadelphia in December 2006. “He’s looking forward to taking the team (further).” Iverson’s decision wasn’t a surprise. But his personal manager, Gary Moore, had told the Rocky on May 30 that Iverson’s camp had discussions with the Nuggets about Iverson possibly opting out and signing a multiyear deal.

76ers sign two front office members to contract extensions

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has signed Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo and Director of Player Personnel Courntey Witte to multi-year contract extensions. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

“During my time here, I’ve had a chance to see first-hand the work ethic, time and dedication both Tony and Courtney have invested in this organization,” Stefanski said. “I am not only confident and comfortable that their experience and knowledge will continue to be invaluable assets, but I look forward to working with them as we collectively pursue our goal of bringing a championship to Philadelphia.”

DiLeo is in his 19th season with the 76ers basketball operations department. After spending four seasons as the Sixers director of player personal (1999-03), he was promoted to his current position in September, 2003. He is primarily responsible for assisting Stefanski with player procurement through his evaluation of amateur and professional talent, while also supervising the team’s draft effort, and college and professional scouting systems.

During his tenure, DiLeo has been involved in every aspect of the team’s basketball operations, including coaching, scouting and management. Formerly the team’s director of scouting and assistant coach, DiLeo has extensive experience in international basketball, both as a player and coach. He played and coached in West Germany for 10 seasons before joining the Sixers staff for the 1990-91 season. He coached the West German men’s and women’s teams from 1979-90, winning nine national titles in the country’s top division. DiLeo was selected as the West German federation National Coach (1981-85) and the country’s coach of the year in 1987.

Courtney Witte (pronounced Witty) is in his 11th season with 76ers basketball operations department and 22nd overall in the NBA.

After serving as the Sixers director of scouting for two seasons (2001-03), Witte was promoted to his current position in September, 2003. He will continue to be involved in all aspects of the team’s basketball operations, including the draft night preparation and the coordination of Sixers professional scouting and collegiate player evaluation process.

Witte joined the Sixers prior to the 1998-99 season as a video coordinator and scout after spending 11 seasons with the Indiana Pacers. He served as an assistant coach/director of scouting for the Sixers, after a two-year stint as an assistant coach/head scout.

Calvin Booth exercises player option

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that Calvin Booth has exercised the player option on his contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract are not disclosed.

The Penn State product signed as a free agent with the Sixers on September 11, 2007. He appeared in 31 games last season, averaging 0.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.58 blocks in 6.6 minutes per game. Booth averaged 4.24 blocks per 48 minutes played last season, which was the 11th highest average by any player in the league. He recorded four of his season-high five blocks in the first quarter vs. Miami on December 12, 2007. Booth is approaching his 10th season in the NBA.

Origin of `Beat L.A.` chants

The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliott Teaford) reports: For what it’s worth, the “Beat L.A.” chant started in Boston Garden near the end of the Philadelphia 76ers’ victory over the Celtics in the 1982 Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics crowd urged the Sixers to beat the Lakers in the Finals. Philadelphia would lose to the Lakers in six games, but that didn’t stop the chant from spreading around the nation like a plague without a cure. It was even heard in the Meadowlands when the Ducks, who play in Anaheim, not L.A., faced the New Jersey Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. “The fortunate but unfortunate part about the “Beat L.A.” (chant) is that it’s so unoriginal,” Derek Fisher said, breaking into a wry smile when asked if he was looking forward to hearing it from the Boston crowd.

Samuel Dalembert files lawsuit against business partners

The Philadelphia Daily News (Phil Jasner) reports: The 76ers’ Samuel Dalembert has filed a lawsuit claiming breach of contract and fraud, among other allegations, against a group of business partners regarding an investment in the licensing of “Speed Racer” products and merchandise. The suit, filed May 12 in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, says that Dalembert invested more than $1 million in the project in 2006, only to learn that the defendants – New York design studio Art Asylum and others – did not have the licensing rights.