Bye Bye with Buyout: Webber good as gone

By Jared Trexler

Philadelphia, PA (The Phanatic) - Chris Webber's days in Philadelphia are all but over.

The Daily News reported late Tuesday night that Webber and the club had agreed on the terms of a buyout of the remainder of his contract, with details possibily finalized later today.

According to Phil Jasner's piece:

"The source said that Webber, who will become a free agent, would give back less than $5 million in the deal. In his 14th NBA season, Webber is listed on the team's salary cap at $20,718,750 this season and is due $22,312,500 next season."

The move provides the Sixers with some salary-cap flexibility and luxury-tax relief, while putting the Sixers at 13 warm bodies -- two below the NBA roster limit.

The chance of a Webber buyout was first floated by the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith in a late December article, then validated by Phanatic staff writer John McMullen on December 28.

McMullen, in discussions with a NBA source closely associated with the Sixers, discovered that Smith's assertion was 100% on the money.

The Sixers were going to work on a buyout.

The five-time All-Star Webber is 32, has chronic knee trouble and has been a detriment both on the floor and in the locker room for a team making a conscious effort to move forward and start fresh.

Allen Iverson was traded to Denver last month for Andre Miller, Joe Smith and a a pair of first-round draft picks. The Sixers plan to use those picks to create a strong, young nucleus alongside Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver and Rodney Carney.

Webber was averaging just 11 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in just over 30 minutes per game. He compiled just over 20 points and 9.9 rebounds in 75 games last season, his most contests since the 1999-2000 season with the Sacramento Kings.

**Phanatic staff writer John McMullen also contributed to this report***