The Philadelphia 76ers seem to have their sights set on a player to take with the number 9 pick in the Draft.  But presdient Billy King also indicated that there could be some late trade movement to re-shuffle the deck for Philadelphia.

"We talked for about three hours yesterday and we're on the same page," King said about the pick.

"We're pretty sure of the player we're going to take," he continued. "Yesterday, I was 90 percent sure No. 9 was where we were going to pick. This morning there were a lot of possibilities we might do something (in a trade), because people started calling."

GM Rob Babcock is earning his new Raptors paycheck, and then some.  In the next few weeks, he may have earned the salary of his full contract term.

It?s madness up in Toronto these days with the swirl of trade rumors, the Draft rush and a head coaching search.

Meanwhile the Charlotte Babcots will decide whether to take Alvin Williams, Lamond Murray or Milt Palacio off Toronto's roster in the expansion draft.

Philadelphia sports talk radio said that Allen Iverson for Vince Carter was in the works but this speculation later turned out to be false.

With the AI rumor shoved aside, Babock worked out Draft prospects, then raced back to Toronto to interview Detroit Pistons assistant coach Mike Woodson.

As for the Draft, Peter John Ramos is on the target list.  He is a 19-year-old and possible long-term project who has spent the last four years playing in Puerto Rico's pro league.

Sam Smith says the Orlando Magic want to revamp and save money, so trading the unhappy Tracy McGrady is job one of that mission.

He speculates that Houston may be high on the list of bidders but that McGrady's aversion to practice may not sit well with practice-heavy head coach Jeff Van Gundy.  The Pacers may have the roster to make a T-Mac deal work, and the Suns will have an attractive offer (Shawn Marion and the number 7 pick).

Smith also discusss the possibility of the Bulls swapping picks with the Sixers this week and getting center Samuel Dalembert in a trade that includes Tyson Chandler.  This would open the door for an Eddy Curry trade.

Meanwhile, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun told a Connecticut newspaper that he wouldn't be surprised if the Bulls pick Ben Gordon at No. 3. "I keep getting calls from GMs saying what an incredible athlete he is," he said. "And Chicago is a team that seems to have the most interest."

The smile is back on the face of Randy Ayers, who was fired in his first season as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.  

That?s because Ayers arrived at the Moody Bible Institute for the Chicago pre-Draft camp and received a warm welcome from friends and fellow NBA folks.  

Ayers is not bitter about the experience.

"You never get over the timing of it, 52 games," Ayers said. "But you have to do what you have to do and move on."
Ayers has had time to re-connect with his family, including with his son Ryan, a 6?6? high school basketball star who made an oral commitment to attend Notre Dame.

Alan Iverson was ticketed for parking his Rolls Royce in a handicapped parking spot at the airport.  

Police said Iverson parked his car in a handicapped spot at Philadelphia International Airport earlier this week.  

Penalties for Iverson's transgression could be in excess of $300 but the 76er star's black Rolls Royce Phantom has an estimated value of $320,000.  So AI may be able to cover the ticket.

Iverson has been cited before for parking in handicapped spaces.