Since the team and Dalembert, the starting center for the 76ers, parted ways a week ago, Rautins has read what he believes are untrue comments about the matter, he said in an interview.

"I've already read a lot of things coming from a lot of people," Rautins said. "So who is telling the truth? It's not going to serve any purpose unless all parties tell the truth. What I say is not going to change a thing because [Dalembert] is going to come back and tell you something entirely different."

Dalembert has not returned phone calls.

The split seemed to hinge on Dalembert's commitment: Rautins has said on numerous occasions that Canada Basketball will move forward with players who want to be there, while Dalembert has said he has done everything asked of him.

On Tuesday, Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks said commitment had never been a problem with Dalembert.

"Sam is an integral part of our team, and he's tried to do everything I've asked him to do," Cheeks said. "Whatever happened over there with Canada, I don't know.

"I have no idea what happened, and I'm not trying to say something against the coach of that other team. I'm only saying what [Dalembert] does for me."

Cheeks said the "things" Dalembert did included normal professional obligations: going to meetings, being on time for film, getting to a bus on time.

Cheeks said those things were asked of every 76er.

"He's there," Cheeks said. "He's done them without exception."

He added: "When he comes to work out for training camp with the Sixers, this [issue] is not going to affect him for training camp. He'll be ready with the things he needs to do."

Cheeks said he had yet to speak with Dalembert, but left him a voice-mail message and expected to hear back.

Rautins, whose team failed to qualify for Beijing, is in Las Vegas training for tomorrow's scrimmage against USA Basketball in the State Farm Challenge.

"This should have been a dead issue a long time ago," Rautins said. "There has already been far too much said about the whole thing.

"It's obviously a very difficult decision," he continued. "It's not something anybody feels good about. This is something that happened within the team. I pursued Sam. I like Sam. I'm not wishing anything bad for him.

"I would love to see Sam a part of this team, but that's going to have to be up to Sam and the team."