Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King announced today that the Sixers have extended a qualifying offer to center Samuel Dalembert, guard Willie Green and forward Kyle Korver making them restricted free agents.

The offer provides the 76ers with the right to match any other NBA team's offer for Dalembert, Green, and Korver.

Dalembert will be one of the most prized restricted free agents on the market this summer, but like Stromile Swift last season, many teams will be reluctant to sign him to an offer sheet because the Sixers are expected to match.

The Philadelphia 76ers brought back assistant coach John Kuester yesterday.  Kuester had coached with new Philly coach Maurice Cheeks as a Sixer assistant for four years.

Kuester had spent last season in New Jersey and the year prior as an assistant to Larry Brown in Detroit.

"I never expected the opportunity would come about to get back to Philadelphia," Kuester said.

Andrew Toney is returning to the team in which he played 8 seasons back in the 1980's.

"The Sixers have agreed in principle to add Toney, the starting shooting guard on their 1982-83 championship team, to their coaching staff. A person with knowledge of the situation, on the promise of anonymity, said Toney had not yet signed a contract but was expected to be at their practice site, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, next week to help oversee workouts of prospective draft choices."

He will join Maurice Cheeks' staff that already includes John Kuester and Bernie Smith.

The Sixers have also interviewed Portland assistant John Loyer but no job has been offered yet.

The Orlando Magic have named Randy Ayers and Tom Sterner assistant coaches, President/CEO Bob Vander Weide announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed.

?Randy (Ayers) and Tom (Sterner) are two of the hardest working coaches in the business,? said head coach Brian Hill.  ?They are known for their attention to detail, the way they prepare for a game and for helping players reach their full potential.  We are very excited to have them as part of the Magic family.?

Ayers spent six-plus seasons as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers? coaching staff and served as head coach of the Sixers in 2003-04, posting a 21-31 record (.404).  As top assistant under then-coach Larry Brown, Ayers helped guide the 76ers to five consecutive playoff appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001.  Known for his pressure-defense mindset and up-tempo style, he joined the Sixers as the physical conditioning coach in June 1997 before earning a spot as an assistant coach in July 1998.

Sterner?s coaching responsibilities have included detailed game and opponent preparation, as well as individual player development.  While the top assistant in Golden State, he helped the Warriors improve on both ends of the court.  In 2003-04, with Sterner acting as ?defensive coordinator,? Golden State was the most improved defensive team in the NBA, allowing 9.6 fewer points per game than the previous season.  He was in charge of the team?s offense in 2002-03.  The Warriors ranked second in the league in scoring that season, averaging 102.4 points per game.

Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King announced today that the Sixers have acquired a second round draft pick (60th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a future second round draft pick.

The Sixers will then convey the 60th overall pick in this year's draft to the Detroit Pistons in order to complete a trade made on Dec. 18, 1997, in which the Sixers acquired Theo Ratliff and Aaron McKie in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse and Eric Montross.

As a result of today's trade, the Sixers retain the 45th overall pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft. Philadelphia currently does not have a first round pick in this year's Draft since that pick was traded to Denver in a three-team deal on Dec. 18, 2003, in which the 76ers acquired Kenny Thomas.

Look for former Sixers head coach Randy Ayers to return to the bench next season.

NBA sources say "watch for Randy Ayers to become an assistant in Orlando".

Ayers was an assistant on Larry's Brown staff in Philadelphia for 5 years before becoming head coach in 2003.

He was fired late in the 2003-2004 season and has been out of basketball.