Steven Hunter believed, as he should have, that it was over for him in Philadelphia. He put his house on the market. He had, by his count, about eight bags at the airport for his trip to Oklahoma City. The 76ers, the team he had joined this season, were in his rearview mirror.

This was Feb. 1, the day the 7-foot forward/center was traded to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets for second-round draft choices in 2006 and 2007. Sometime Wednesday, the Sixers were beckoning him back.
Just like that, the trade had become one that never was. Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said Hunter had neither passed nor failed his physical examination, but his team chose not to sign off on the deal. Injury? Illness? Insurance issue? Both teams cited a confidentiality clause in the collective bargaining agreement.

Whatever the reason, Hunter was back at practice with the Sixers yesterday. Happily, no one had bought his house. No one had commandeered his No. 45 jersey or his roster spot. He is eligible to be available for tomorrow afternoon's game in Washington.

"They just said I didn't pass the physical," he said. "I feel fine. I feel healthy. [But] they rescinded the trade. I'm assuming I failed the physical; that's how I'm here. I'm 24 years old... I don't know what's going on."