Magic's Milicic catches eye of the 76ers

The 76ers have not changed their free-agent strategy, but things may have been altered Tuesday when Orlando pulled its qualifying offer to Darko Milicic, making the 7-foot power forward an unrestricted free agent.

The Sixers have made re-signing their own unrestricted free agent, Joe Smith, their top priority, but now Milicic could provide another option, although the Sixers would not be the favorites to sign him.

"We've been on top of the [Milicic] situation from the beginning and we have been in contact with his agent and we'll see how it plays out," Tony DiLeo, the Sixers' senior vice president, said yesterday before the team left for the Las Vegas summer league, which begins play today.

Milicic, 22, is a native of Serbia and Montenegro who averaged 8 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Magic last season.

Because the Sixers were over the $53,135,000 salary cap last season, the most they can offer Milicic is the midlevel exception, believed to be about $5.5 million per year.

"Obviously, teams under the cap have an advantage in a situation like this," DiLeo said.

Teams with significant room under the salary cap include Milwaukee, Charlotte and Memphis. A number of other teams also would be able to offer the midlevel exception to Milicic.

The Sixers have a good relationship with Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein, who is also the agent for Sixers center Samuel Dalembert. Cornstein was not available for comment yesterday.

Smith's agent, Dan Fegan, has been unavailable for comment throughout the free-agent process.

Even if the Sixers don't sign Milicic, he becomes another power forward on the market. It's possible that a team that was looking at Smith could change directions.

But the Sixers aren't pinning all their hopes on Smith or Milicic. "There are other players we are talking to," said DiLeo, who declined to name them.

The Sixers have yet to have serious talks with Malik Allen, the former Villanova and Shawnee High forward who is an unrestricted free agent after playing in Chicago last year.

"We have had periodic, brief discussions with the Sixers since the end of the season," said Allen's agent, Bill Strickland.

According to a source, the Sixers have inquired about 7-foot Mikki Moore, a free agent who averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds, shooting 60.9 percent from the field, for New Jersey last season.

Notes. Former Sixer Aaron McKie, who is helping the coaching staff work with the young players this summer, has not discounted continuing his playing career. McKie has played 13 NBA seasons, the last two with the Los Angeles Lakers. "I am keeping myself in shape, and I'll see what my options are," said McKie, who accompanied the team to Las Vegas. . . . Former Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara, who suffered a sprained right ankle in Wednesday's practice, will make the trip to Las Vegas but said the medical staff does not want him to play the first two games today and tomorrow. . . . Rookie swingman Derrick Byars of Vanderbilt, who is bothered by a left quadriceps strain, took part only in shooting drills for the second straight day. Coach Maurice Cheeks said he would be evaluated before today's opening game against the San Antonio Spurs. . . . Christian Burns, a forward from Philadelphia University, was not included on the roster for the Las Vegas summer league.