Billy King tried to acquire Joe Smith for the 76ers from the Milwaukee Bucks after the 2005-06 season. King did acquire Smith from the Denver Nuggets as part of the trade for Allen Iverson in December. Now, the Sixers president/general manager is trying again.

King placed phone calls to the representatives of both Smith, an unrestricted free agent, and Andre Iguodala, who has one season remaining on his rookie contract. By league rule, the Sixers have a July-to-October window in which to sign Iguodala to an extension, for a maximum of five seasons.

Smith and Iguodala, for the moment, are King's priorities. He seems unlikely to use his available $5.6 million average salary exception for a free agent from another team, in part because it does not seem to be a particularly strong group, and because he is reluctant to push the Sixers' payroll back into luxury-tax territory.

"We'll focus on Joe first," King said before the Sixers gathered their draft choices and selected veterans and fringe free agents last night for the start of a mini-camp that precedes their entry into the Las Vegas summer league. "I thought Joe played well when he was in Milwaukee, and tried to get him before he was traded to Denver. He didn't play in Denver, but I still wanted him."

Houston also appears interested in Smith.