After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.
[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout.
[12][13][14][15][16] The Sixers had the eighth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected Larry Hughes out of Saint Louis University.
[17][18][19][20][21] In the off-season, the Sixers signed free agents Matt Geiger, George Lynch and Harvey Grant,[22][23][24][25] and later on re-signed former 76ers forward Rick Mahorn in late February.
[26][27] At midseason, they traded second-year forward Tim Thomas and Scott Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Tyrone Hill.