As it turns out, Carney landed back where he started, with the 76ers. There was no hard news to his teleconference with reporters yesterday, because he agreed to the terms of a 1-year minimum salary contract last week, but he seemed to have a firm grasp of a fresh opportunity to establish himself in the NBA.

He did, however, take an audible deep breath when he was asked about his reaction to the Timberwolves' declining the final option on his rookie contract. Had the Wolves invoked the option, his salary would have jumped from $1,655,760 to $2,539,936. Instead, his new salary for a player credited with 3 years of service is $855,189.

"It was a big downer," Carney said. "I thought I showed through my ability what I could bring to a team . . . I guess it worked out for the best, because I'm here. [It wasn't a good time] for free agents, with the recession and everything."

But it could be an excellent opportunity for a 6-7 wing player who has always been viewed as an outstanding athlete. He can run, jump and create highlight-reel moves to the basket, and - by all accounts - has improved his three-point shooting, defense and ballhandling since becoming the No. 16 overall pick in the 2006 draft; he was selected by the Chicago Bulls and immediately traded to the Sixers for the rights to Thabo Sefolosha. He was sent to the Wolves last summer with Calvin Booth and a first-round draft choice in a bookkeeping transaction that allowed the Sixers to create the final amount of cap space necessary to sign free agent Elton Brand.

"When I left, I thought it was for the best, [the Sixers] just trying to get E.B. in here," he said. "I thought my presence was needed elsewhere. But to come back, it was never in my mind till [Sixers president/general manager] Ed Stefanski called me and said he would like me back. It's still kind of surreal that I'm back. Driving up [I-76], I realized I was back where I actually started."

He described the Sixers' situation as "a lot better" than when he left.

"Now, you have [Brand], you have Primoz [Brezec] coming in here, you have an extra-good [Andre] Iguodala, an extra-good Thaddeus [Young] establishing himself, you have Lou Williams as the starting point," he said. "This is an excellent team on paper. Once you get to practice with a new coach [Eddie Jordan], you've got to tweak some things and hopefully with [our] potential we can be a good playoff team . . . This is shocking, actually. I'm happy to be part of it."

Ruland To D.C.

 

This news apparently slipped though the local cracks, but Jeff Ruland, who was not retained as a Sixers assistant, was hired last month as the head coach at the University of D.C., where the college's news release said his deal was for "at least 5 years."

"Coach Ruland is the perfect choice at the perfect time," school president Allen L. Sessoms said in the release.

Ruland, who had a year remaining on his Sixers contract, said, "I didn't want to sit on the couch for a year. This was a deal I couldn't turn down."

Six shots

 

With the addition of Rodney Carney, the Sixers have 13 players under contract, two under the league limit. Ed Stefanski has said that they could add a 14th if someone can win a job in training camp and the preseason.

A source familiar with the situation said journeyman Jared Reiner, who failed to make the squad last season, will get another opportunity. The 6-11 Reiner, 27, is a former Big Ten rebounding champion at Iowa and has logged time with the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks.