76ers' Nerlens Noel: Could debut as soon as Sunday

Noel (knee) took part in the 76ers' shootaround Thursday, with coach Brett Brown indicating afterward that the big man could be cleared to make his season debut as soon as Sunday against the Pistons, Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com reports.

Analysis:

Since rejoining the 76ers in late November following an extended rehab stint in Birmingham, Ala., Noel has steadily increased his activities in workouts and practices. The fact that he's traveling with the 76ers on their current road trip is an especially encouraging sign that Noel's return is on the horizon, but he still doesn't have an especially promising fantasy outlook once he's cleared to play. With starting center Joel Embiid now available to play 28 minutes in games and Jahlil Okafor carving out a sizable role off the bench behind him, Noel may struggle to hit the 20-minute mark when all three players are active on a given night.