Sixers To Re-sign Ratliff At 8 M. Per Year

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

                                               January 17, 1999
 
                          Ratliff looks set to re-sign with Sixers
     

      
                                    By Stephen A. Smith
                                    INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
                       Two days after the 76ers agreed on a long-term
                       deal with Charlotte free-agent center Matt
                       Geiger -- all it is awaiting are the signatures
                       -- they are expected to do the same for Theo
                       Ratliff.
    
                       Numerous sources confirmed yesterday that the
                       Sixers had reached an agreement with their
                       free-agent center on a seven-year deal worth
                       roughly $57 million.
     
                       The Sixers and Ratliff's agent, Joel Bell,
                       declined comment. No deals can be signed until
                       Tuesday.
     
                       "The deal's about done," said Ratliff, refusing
                       to give specifics yesterday. "Obviously,
                       nothing's been signed and there's always a
                       chance that changes can take place. But we're
                       pretty close to getting something done."
     
                       Two things are certain with Ratliff's deal: It
                       is for seven years, and he will receive the
                       annual 12.5 percent raise off his base-year
                       salary allowed under the new
                       collective-bargaining agreement.

                       Ratliff will start off at nearly $6 million per
                       year for the 1999 season and reach a salary of
                       nearly $10.5 million by the final year of his
                       contract in 2005, according to a league source.
                       His average of $8.25 million per season is what
                       Bell was aiming for. That is slightly less than
                       what Geiger's average salary is expected to be.

                       Geiger, a 7-foot center the Sixers have coveted
                       since last season, will ink a deal worth $50
                       million this week, barring a catastrophe.

                       Since the Sixers had just $6.7 million available
                       under their salary cap, Geiger got all of it,
                       plus the annual 10 percent raise allowed to him
                       under the new collective-bargaining agreement.

                       By 2004, his sixth season with the Sixers,
                       Geiger will earn $10.5 million per year,
                       averaging $8.38 million through the length of
                       his contract.


                            ©1999 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.