Jacqueline Soteropoulos of the Philadelphis Inquirer reports that A judge this afternoon threw out all criminal charges except two misdemeanor counts against 76ers superstar Allen Iverson.

Iverson was arrested earlier this month for allegedly barging into his cousin?s and threatening people while looking for his wife. Several charges of varying severity were levied against Iverson. The only charges left standing by Municipal Court Judge James DeLeon were two counts of terroristic threats. ?It sounds like you had a relative looking for a relative at the house of a relative...? DeLeon said.

The ruling came after a chaotic six-hour preliminary hearing that featured testimony from Iverson's two accusers and his cousin, Shaun Bowman. One of the men who accused Allen Iverson of threatening him with a gun changed his story during testimony today.

Under questioning by Iverson attorney Richard Sprague, Hakim Carey said he did not see Iverson brandish a gun when Iverson and his uncle showed up at the apartment in the early morning hours of July 3. Carey said that his friend, Charles Jones, told him to back up Jones' story that Iverson had a gun.

Jones was on the stand later in the day and denied that he had told Carey what to say to police. Attorneys for Iverson and his uncle had maintained their clients were not guilty.

Hawke Fracassa of the Detroit News reports that Sixers forward Derrick Coleman was arrested Saturday after he was clocked at 100 mph in a 70 mph zone. Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer said Sunday that Coleman, 35, was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor because he refused three requests to take breath tests.

He was taken into custody about 3:30 a.m. by officers who "detected the odor of intoxicants" on his breath, Dwyer said. Coleman told police he "had some champagne," Dwyer said. Police said Coleman continued to drive west at more than 100 mph three miles after officers first tried to pull him over. Coleman paid a $150 bond and was released after blood tests were taken by court order at Botsford Hospital. His car, a 2003 Land Rover, was impounded.

Peter May of the Boston Globe tells us that ?as of now, three names stand out as the early front-line casualties of the NBA's New Economy?. When all is said and done, Rodney Rogers, Keon Clark and Matt Harpring will have probably been let go by teams that held their rights simply because of the luxury tax.

May concedes that all three will find work in the NBA this year and all three will be paid more than the minimum. But all three represent different ways in which the apparently sure-to-come luxury tax has forced owners and management to retool, rethink, and reconfigure on the fly.

The Celtics offered Rogers a pay cut. Not because they were disappointed in his play, but simply because they decided they could only afford to pay him $1 million. May explains, ?The Celtics knew two things: Rogers could not accept their offer and he would not accept their offer. Without a luxury tax, he would have quickly re-signed and Vin Baker would still be in Seattle. But the Baker trade enabled the Celtics to jettison $15 million in salaries for this season while taking on $14 million. That's Paul Gaston's kind of math.?

So Rogers, arguably the fourth-best player on the team, is now shopping and, if he hasn't signed anywhere by September, maybe that $1 million won't look so bad.

Clark and Harpring fall into a slightly different category of tax casualty. Both players were restricted free agents when their team?s tendered the required qualifying offer. As a restricted free agent, the team reserves the right to match other team?s offers and keep the player. This is a gread advantage to the current team in keeping a talented free agent from signing elsewhere.

Both Clark and Harpring are talented. Clark played 81 games for the Raptors and was fifth on the team in scoring, second in rebounding, and first in blocked shots. In any other market, he would have been resigned already. May writes, ?Toronto general manager Glen Grunwald said his team wanted to make a fair offer to Clark, but ''fair'' in Grunwald's book has a different meaning than ''fair'' in Clark's book. Had Grunwald not signed Michael Stewart and Hakeem Olajuwon to silly, pre-luxury tax contracts, there'd be money to keep Clark. But now Clark is available to the highest bidder and, theoretically, should get something greater than $2.5 million. The Raptors may have something left over to sign a lesser player, maybe someone like ... Harpring.?

On Harpring, May writes that he "merely started 81 games for the 76ers and was one of the few to make it through the season without some debilitating injury. ''But, with the luxury tax,'' Sixers GM Billy King said, ''it's a different ballgame out there. No one talks about the salary cap anymore. It's all luxury tax.''

According to May, King said Friday that he's taken countless calls from agents begging him to sign their player to the veteran minimum. That's one reason he pulled the plug on the Harpring tender. The other was that if it had been signed, King could not have traded Harpring for a year and Harpring would have been an unrestricted free agent this time next year.

The Sixers already have spent around half of their $4.5 million exception on Dallas free agent Greg Buckner. The other half, or some portion of it, may be offered to Rogers. (King said there was nothing going on with Rogers.) Given the way the summer has gone, Rogers should think long and hard about any offer, even if it's a big dropoff from the $2.6 million he made last year. Given the way things are going, with teams trimming payrolls and rosters, the next offer might be the best one because it also might be the only one.

Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald reports that the Bulls are now free to sign Matt Harpring without restrictions. Yesterday the Sixers rescinded their qualifying offer for Harpring making him an unrestricted free agent. In doing so the Sixers lose their right to match other team?s offers for the forward.

While Sixers GM Billy King says the move does not mean they can?t resign Harpring, it clearly means they aren?t eager to bring him back. The Sixers are reportedly pursuing Celtic?s free agent Rodney Rogers to fill their front court. Rogers is now available since the Celtics traded for Vin Baker.

Harpring?s name has been listed on the Bulls wish list, but GM Jerry Krause did not admit having interest in Harpring. Krause has not denied that the Bulls are seeking a veteran big man. The question is whether they want to spend the money to pry Popeye Jones away from Washington or settle for a less expensive choice such as Danny Manning, Corie Blount or Brian Skinner, and thereby make a more substantial offer to a small forward.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers are finally ready to make some moves in the free agent market. The Sixers will announce, perhaps as soon as today the signing of Dallas free agent Greg Buckner and Magic free agent Monty Williams.

The deal with Buckner has been agreed upon for a while now, but the Sixers and Mavericks have been exploring sign and trade possibilities. It now looks as though a trade is unlikely. By trading for Buckner, the Sixers would still have their whole $4.5 million mid-class exception in tact to go after another free agent like Rodney Rogers or Keon Clark. Without the trade, Buckner will take $2.4 million of the exception, leaving only a little more than $2.1 million for another free agent.

Jasner reports that the Mavs were seeking a taker for Tariq Abdul-Wahad?s $33 million contract. The Sixers were willing to trade Matt Harpring, but Wahad?s contract would mean more Salary would have to be included from Philadelphia.

Willimas will sign as a minimum salary player, which means the Sixers will still have their $1.4 million exception available if they choose to use it. Orlando Magic GM John Gabriel will be sorry to see Williams go. "It's a steal," said Gabriel. "If we weren't faced with the luxury-tax situation, the way most teams are, he'd have a job with us forever.

"He's one of the best [as an influence] in the locker room; he's coming off his best year as a pro; he's one of the best smaller low-post players. He was always able to get to the basket, but now he's able to finish. He's not a very good shooter, but he's a pretty good scorer and able to defend against shooting guards, small forwards and some power forwards."

While not the ?big name? acquisitions the Sixer fans are waiting for, Buckner and Williams will increase the depth on the Philadelphia bench and improve the team defense.

The Philadelphia 76ers rescinded their qualifying offer to Matt Harpring, making the veteran forward an unrestricted free agent.

The 76ers made a qualifying offer on July 1, making Harpring a restricted free agent. That allowed Harpring to receive offers from other teams but gave the Sixers a right to match any deal. As an unrestricted free agent, Harpring can sign with any team.

General manager Billy King hinted that Harpring may not be done with the 76ers.

"The decision to withdraw the qualifying offer was a timing issue. If we did not withdraw the offer (Tuesday), the offer would have had to remain open until October 1," King said. "This does not preclude us from signing Matt, it just changes his status."

This opens the door for Harpring to sign with the Chicago Bulls.

Jerry Krause, the GM of the Chicago Bulls, outlined two dire needs for his team as the offseason signing period started; a backup big man who can defend and rebound and a defensive-minded small forward.  K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that thus far Krause has brought in Danny Manning, Corie Blount and Brian Skinner - all of whom fit the bill for the first need - so what is happening with the second?

According to Johnson the Bulls are not trying to sign a small forward, instead they are trying to acquire one via trade.  Even though both teams claim otherwise, Krause is trying to pry forward Mike Miller away from the Orlando Magic in exchange for power forward Marcus Fizer.  The hang up at the moment is the Magic are also trying to include Jamal Crawford to which Krause will not budge.

Should a deal not be able to be made between the two teams Chicago still has interest in Philadelphia free agent Matt Harpring, but Harpring's restricted free agent status has prevented the team from making him an offer, especially while talks with Miller are still taking place.  Philadelphia has said it plans to match any offer for Harpring which means a sign and trade might be necessary, Fizer's name again popping up.

Another option for the Bulls, albiet a long shot, might be Rashard Lewis of the Seattle Supersonics who is unhappy with the offer his current team has put to him.  Lewis is the best prospect available this offseason.

So where does this leave Eddie Robinson, the high flying foward the Bulls signed to a $31.2 million deal last summer?  According to Johnson some in management believe that starting Robinson alongside Jalen Rose, who will play shooting guard, will leave too many defensive deficiencies for the Bulls.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers are close to finalizing a deal with Dallas free agent Greg Buckner. Sources say that the deal is expected to be for $18 million over six years. The Details probably won?t be completed until next week.

By using a little more than half of their middle class exception, the Sixers will still have about $2.1 million to use for another free agent.

Buckner was being courted by the Sixers and the Lakers. When it was reported yesterday that the Lakers would re-sign Devean George, Buckner?s decision became a little easier. Even though his playing time has been limited by injuries, the Sixers like his ability to defend three different positions.

There are indications that the Sixers and Mavs could work out a sign and trade deal. If that happens, the Sixers will still have their entire $4.5 million exception to go after someone like Celtics free agent, Rodney Rodgers.

The Sixers and Rogers have shown mutual interest and with Boston limiting their offer to the $1.4 million exception, there is a good chance that Rogers is looking for a new team.

Frank Litski of the New York Times reports that Allen Iverson will turn himself in to Philadelphia Police Officials today to face charges that he forced his way into his cousin?s apartment with a gun in search of his wife.

Because his lawyer Richard A. Sprague, has been on vacation in Europe, Iverson was allowed to wait until today to surrender to police. Neither Sprague?s office nor the Philadelphia Police would say where or when the arrest would take place.

The latest bit of evidence, stains found in Iverson?s SUV, have been determined to be something other than blood. The Associated Press reported yesterday that blood and broken glass had been found in the vehicle, which is driven by Iverson?s wife, Tawanna. Later in the day, the AP corrected the report, stating that a police official said the stain was not blood, and was probably caused by one of Iverson?s children.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson knows that his office will take criticism no matter which way the investigation goes, "No matter what direction we go to, we are going to be criticized. The law indicates, based on our witnesses, he committed a crime.? Johnson said. ?People are saying, well, `He was only looking for his wife.' You have read about people in the paper who go look for wives and kill them. To go looking for their wife with a weapon, that violates the law."

Johnson said the news media had blown the case out of proportion. "I understand that," he said. "I can't blame the news. I can't blame the police department or blame the complainants. I put blame on Allen Iverson. If he did not do what he is alleged to have done, none of us would be involved in this."

Jodie Valade of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Mavs are close to resigning their biggest free agent.

Raef LaFrentz is near to an agreement to terms with the Mavericks. Free agents can?t sign contracts until Wednesday, but Mavs? owner Mark Cuban said he is swilling to give LaFrentz the maximum 7-year deal. The contract is expected to be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 million.

The future of the Mavericks? other free agents, Eduardo Najera, Wang Zhi-Zhi and Greg Buckner isn?t so clear.

Cuban is waiting for Zhi-Zhi to hire an agent before they enter into negotiations with him.

Buckner is getting some interest from other teams around the league including the Sixers and Lakers and is not expected to return.

Najera is looking for a contract befitting of a top reserve, like Jerome Williams in Toronto who was given a 6-year, $41 million deal last summer. Cuban met with Najera?s agent, Dan Fegan last week to discuss Najera's contract, and has said he wants to limit spending where possible because the Mavericks are well into luxury tax territory.