The U.S. Olympic Committee, headed by managing director Jerry Colangelo, has sent out contracts to 22 NBA players, 2 college players, and 1 high school player.

And sources indicate Allen Iverson, despite publicly and privately expressing his desire to be a member of the team, is not one of the select few recieving one of those contracts.

Instead he is about to recieve a letter thanking him for his interest. As one of the sources stated: "We tried to make the letters as appreciative and professional as possible. The idea was to try and bring people down softly."

Iverson, who has not yet recieved formal confirmation of this decision, has nonetheless heard the rumors. His response was simple: "Thanks for considering me," he said. "Now, I get to spend time with my kids in the summer."

The 25 invitees will be announced by Colangelo and U.S. head coach Mike Krzyzewski, this Sunday, live on ABC.

After Nate Robinson missed over 22 attempts en route to the dunk title during this season's All-Star dunk competition, the NBA is considering changes according to the Seattle Times.

Stu Jackson, the NBA's vice president for basketball operations, said the league would consider discussing a rule change that would penalize a player for a missed dunk.

Kenny Smith, the TNT television analyst and former Houston Rockets guard who was one of the five judges, has been taking flak for giving Robinson what amounted to the winning score on his final dunk.

"I think the first thing we really need to do is limit the number of attempts," Smith said. "You're not supposed to look at the missed dunks. I lost count."

The Bulls are working on a buyout, but general manager John Paxson said he doesn't want Tim Thomas go to an East team that Chicago is chasing. The Nets, Heat and Sixers are East teams with an interest along with the Spurs out west.

Thomas, who includes the Nets on his wish list, would have to be waived by Wednesday to be playoff eligible. Since they're over the cap, the Nets only can offer a minimum contract.

"I'm going to make Tim Thomas come here," Carter said.

The New York Post and TNT reported that the Sixers came very close to dealing Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for players including Nene Hilario, Earl Watson and Voshon Lenard. The reports said Sixers chairman Ed Snider signed off on the deal but was overruled by the board of directors of Comcast Spectacor, the team's parent company.

King said the Sixers were never close to dealing Iverson to Denver. He called the report of a directors vote "absolutely false. There was no board vote on a situation like that."
King said he had "a great conversation" with Iverson last week.

"We talked about a lot of things," he said, "and as he's stated to you guys, he wants to retire a Sixer, and he's content with that. He told me, `If you make a move, great. If not, I believe in my teammates.'"

Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King announced today that the team has traded forward Lee Nailon and a 2006 second round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for a conditional second round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Signed by the Sixers as a free agent on Sept. 22, 2005, Nailon appeared in 22 games this season for Philadelphia averaging 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game. He shot 50.0 percent (40-80 FG) from the floor and 86.7 percent (13-15 FT) from the free-throw line. Nailon had his best performance this season on Nov. 13, 2005 vs. the LA Clippers, where he added 21 points and six rebounds in 25:25 minutes off the bench.

Tim Thomas has expressed interest in joining New Jersey, San Antonio, Miami or Philadelphia should the Chicago Bulls not be able to trade his expiring contract today and a buyout is reached, but Thomas has made it clear to North Jersey that a buyout will not come cheap.

Negotiations for a buyout have not been discussed between the parties, with Thomas still owed roughly $6 million of the $13.95 million he is contracted to collect this season.

Thomas said Wednesday that he wouldn't accept less buyout money than the sum he is owed to officially part ways with the Bulls.

"I hope it's not one of those things where I have to sit out a whole year," said Thomas. "I don't think it's going to get that far because I think they'll do what's best for their organization and we'll both move forward."

Billy King will continue to work the phones until the NBA trade deadline of 3 p.m. today, but the president and general manager of the 76ers said last night that he didn't expect to pull the trigger on a deal.

"If we do it, it will be minor, because there's really nothing we'd like to do," King said in a meeting with reporters before last night's game between the Sixers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. "It takes two teams, but at this point in time, there's nothing that we can get done."

ESPN is reporting that the 76ers and the Denver Nuggets talked about trading Allen Iverson. They say the Sixers nixed the deal. But ESPN says, the 76ers are still exploring other trades involving A.I.

Yesterday, head coach Mo Cheeks was practicing his team - which has a losing record, and is currently clinging to a playoff spot.

All weekend, Allen Iverson has had to deal with questions about possibly being traded, even though there has been nothing of substance suggesting that it will happen. Iverson appears stung by the trade talk and has repeatedly said he wants to remain in Philadelphia.

"I'm just so used to it happening," he said of the trade talk before the game. "I understand it's a business and that is the way it will be. I will have to deal with it and I will always be a 76er until traded."

It seems as if Iverson has a better chance of winning the rebounding title than being dealt by Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline. Iverson acknowledged that Billy King, the Sixers' president and general manager, has talked to him about possible moves.

"He let me know he was looking into a couple of things," Iverson said. "If we don't make a trade, I am satisfied with what we have and positive we can make it happen with the squad we have."

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Allen Iverson is upset. He thinks his 76ers teammate Andre Iguodala should have won Saturday's dunk contest.

The 6-foot-6 Iguodala lost to 5-9 Nate Robinson by one point in a dunk-off. Robinson didn't pull his last dunk off until the 14th try.

Iverson contends that the judges purposely forced the contest in to a tiebreaker to extend the fun for the fans.

"It's still not sitting right with me," he said Sunday. "Just because he's a young guy and that's something that he wanted for himself, for his family, for his people in Philadelphia and for it not to happen it was bad.

And the way it happened, I think he deserved to win."

Others were upset that Robinson was allowed so many chances to complete his dunk.