Noel (knee), who has been rehabbing in Alabama, is expected to head to Phliadelphia later this week to continue his recovery, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia Magazine reports.
Analysis:After he was sidelined for most of the preseason with what was labeled as a left strained groin, Noel was later diagnosed with a related inflammation issue in his knee on the same leg, which required a surgical procedure back on Oct. 25. Noel was expected to miss three-to-five weeks while recovering, but since he's already hit the short end of that timetable and has yet to resume practicing, it looks like he could still be a couple weeks or more away from a return. Once he's healthy and ready to play again, Noel may have a tough time finding minutes, as he'll likely find himself behind Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor on the depth chart at center.
