During predraft workouts, the 76ers never hid their affection for 6-foot-11 Chinese power forward Yi Jianlian. And on draft night, the team apparently made an all-out effort to acquire him.

Billy King, the Sixers' president and general manager, said after Thursday's draft that he was close to a deal with a team in the top seven. A source yesterday revealed that the team was Milwaukee. The player the Sixers were looking to move up to draft was Yi, who was taken at No. 6 by the Bucks.

King preferred not to address the issue yesterday, but on draft night, Bucks general manager Larry Harris acknowledged having talked with the Sixers.

"We had a lot of discussions with Philadelphia as well as other discussions," Harris said. "At the end of the day, we really felt like instead of moving back and doing some other things that this was the best decision for us."

The Sixers, according to a person familiar with the dealings, offered different scenarios - some with just draft picks, the 12th and 21st in the first round, and some with current players.