The question to 76ers president/general manager Eddie Stefanski was: Could he confirm the ESPN.com report that guard/forward Andre Iguodala, a restricted free agent, had agreed to the terms of a 6-year, $80 million contract.

"Nothing to report from our side,'' Stefanski replied.

That was it. All of it.

Later, in Los Angeles on vacation, he was interviewed by Tom McCarthy, of the Phillies' broadcast team, during the Phils-Dodgers game.

When asked about Iguodala, he said, "Right now we're still negotiating. I hope it comes to fruition, but there's no deal yet.''

Stefanski has said since the conclusion of last season that it was his intention to re-sign Iguodala and Lou Williams, the team's restricted free agents. Williams signed a 5-year deal worth between $25 million and $27 million last week.

At that time, Stefanski said discussions with Rob Pelinka, Iguodala's agent, were "progressing.''

Reached via telephone by the Daily News, Iguodala said he would "call right back,'' but did not. Pelinka did not respond to several messages.

Yesterday's ESPN.com report said details of a new deal with Iguodala had not been finalized or signed.

Also, Comcast SportsNet reported that a deal in principle has been agreed to but wouldn't be finished last night, and that terms were not available.

Until a deal is finalized, Iguodala retains the option of playing the coming season under the terms of a $3.8 million, 1-year qualifying offer, after which he would become an unrestricted free agent. He was listed on the team's salary cap last season at $2,804,889.

By the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the players' association, Iguodala's four seasons of service allow him to be paid a maximum starting salary of $13.758 million. He rejected an in-season extension offer that would have paid him $57.4 million over five seasons.

There has been speculation that Pelinka initially asked for a maximum contract. The Sixers can offer a maximum of 6 years with a maximum raise of 10.5 percent from the first-year salary.

Iguodala, one of three Sixers to appear in all 82 games last season, averaged 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals in 39.5 minutes. He wasn't as successful in six games of the first round of the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2.17 steals, shooting 39 percent from the floor.

A new deal for Iguodala would be an important step for the Sixers, who have had a busy summer, signing unrestricted free agent Elton Brand to a 6-year contract worth $79.8 million. They drafted Florida forward Marreese Speights and added free-agent guards Royal Ivey and Kareem Rush.

They also suffered a major blow when second-year big man Jason Smith went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while participating in Tim Grgurich's league-sanctioned skills camp in Las Vegas.

Smith likely will miss the entire season. *