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76ers' Ben Simmons: Still expected back after All-Star break

Coach Brett Brown said Wednesday that he expects Simmons (foot) to debut at some point after the All-Star break, but the team doesn't have a definitive target date, ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman reports.

Analysis:

The 76ers have been supremely cautious with Simmons since he fractured his right foot in late September, and while the No. 1 overall pick has since resumed running, jumping and cutting, he's yet to receive clearance for contact. Brown indicated that he doesn't expect Simmons to take part in any five-on-five work over the All-Star break, and with the coach previously indicating that the rookie would need to take part in five full-contact, full-court sessions before he'd have the chance to play in games, it appears safe to conclude that at the very least, Simmons is a few weeks away from playing. This report is nonetheless encouraging after recent news seemed to suggest that Simmons wouldn't make his debut in 2016-17, but with the season coming to a close in mid-April, it seems likely that he won't be able to play more than a handful of games in a best-case scenario.

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