Ashley McGeachy Fox of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers are looking for the best player available in the draft. The Sixers have specific needs that should be addressed. A big man to relieve Dikembe Mutombo. A legitimate power forward to give Derrick Coleman rest. A shooter. Someone to give pop off the bench.

But the Sixers have one goal in mind. "We're looking for the best player," Tony DiLeo, the Sixers' director of player personnel, said yesterday. With the #16 and #45 picks, the Sixers do not expect to get an immediate impact player. DiLeo said, "Whoever we draft this year really won't help the team for a year or two, and will take a year or two to develop. We're not looking for a specific position, but we're looking for the best-talented player we think can make an impact in the future."

The Sixers have identified players they think will be taken with the 10th through 20th picks, and have invited many to workouts over the next 10 days. Among those players the Sixers are scheduled to bring in are Matt Barnes of UCLA, Carlos Boozer of Duke, Jason Capel and Kris Lang of North Carolina, Kareem Rush of Missouri and local products Rasual Butler of La Salle, Lynn Greer of Temple, Marvin O'Connor of St. Joe's, and Brooks Sales of Villanova.

However, at least one player, Amare Stoudamire of Cypress Creek High School (Fla.) has refused the Sixers? invitation because he feels that he will be chosen before #16. Also, some of the international players like Bostjan Nachbar and Nikoloz Tskitishvili are involved in postseason play and are not available for workouts.

As the workouts progress, the Sixers will invite players for return visits, but DiLeo says they mayu still pick a player even if they did not bring him in for a workout. "If there's a player that's maybe slotted to go at No. 8, and all of a sudden he slips to 16... then, yes, we'd [draft] him," DiLeo said.