(AP)

DENVER --- Arnett Moultrie continues to progress toward a return to the court.

Moultrie engaged in 5-on-5 practice earlier this week, his first such session since injuring his left ankle in preseason conditioning drills. The second-year forward, who had surgery in September, is working his body into game shape, which could be at least a week away. He was a participant in Wednesday's morning shootaround, before the 76ers faced the Denver Nuggets.

“There’s no timetable,” Moultrie said. “I don’t know when I’m going to start dressing. I haven’t talked to Coach (Brett Brown) or KJ (head trainer Kevin Johnson) about that.”

When Brown was a candidate last summer for the Sixers’ coaching gig, he said, he liked what he saw from afar of Moultrie in the Orlando Summer League. Still, Brown said he needs to see a higher motor out of Moultrie.

“If he can, he’s going to help us and he’s going to earn a fairly significant income and he’s going to stay in the NBA for a while,” Brown said. “There are a lot of players like Arnett out there that hang around and end up (playing) in Istanbul. The challenge for him, and to him, is I think he could be an NBA keeper provided he understands his road map – and it needs to be one of a fierce competitor and something that’s energized and not cruisy and time-to-time. That’s his knock. That’s what we need. He’s wide-eyed when we talk to him.”

The Sixers must have liked what they saw out of Moultrie, a 6-10, 240-pounder, when he averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds as a rookie. In October, they picked up the third-year, $1.13 million option on his rookie deal, meaning he’s one of the few on Brown’s roster with a somewhat locked-in future with the club.

(AP)

76ers rookie Michael Carter-Williams said the bruise on the arch of his left foot has improved and said he’s healthy enough to play Wednesday against visiting Toronto, though he’s awaiting official word on whether he will play.

Carter-Williams was a full participant at the Sixers’ morning shootaround at PCOM. He was out of a walking boot and wearing high-top sneakers to get more support for his injured foot, which kept him from the Sixers’ last four games.

“I feel good. Hopefully I get to go,” Carter-Williams said, “(but) I’m still not sure. I told Coach (Brett Brown) and I told the trainer (Kevin Johnson) that my foot feels good and I’m ready to go.”

Carter-Williams said there isn’t one individual person who makes the decision on whether he will play. He said “it’s a combined (decision” and that his only responsibility is to tell Brown and the appropriate people whether he’s physically able to play.

The rookie point guard, who is averaging 17.4 points and 7.6 assists through eight games, said his body was “beat up” and that the respite allowed him to recover. He added that sitting next to the Sixers’ assistant coaches during games, a recommendation of Brown’s, allowed him to learn more about the game while it’s going on.

“I see a lot from the bench,” Carter-Williams said. “I was able to sit and watch the game. I gained a lot of things. Coach wanted me to sit up with the coaches. I was able to hear them talking and hear and see what they saw, so when I go out there I can apply it.”

(Associated Press)

Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday will play Friday night against Atlanta, and the Sixers are expected to provide an update regaring Andrew Bynum before the 7 p.m. game.

Sixers general manager Tony DiLeo will speak to reporters at 5:30 p.m. about Bynum, the injured center who visited his personal doctor, David Altchek, Thursday in New York. Bynum is expected to be available to talk about the doctor's visit, as well.

It's believed Bynum underwent MRIs on his bilateral knee bone bruises during his follow-up visit to Altchek. If the Sixers have good news, it might mean that Bynum could begin impact conditioning or basketball-related activities. He's been relegated to swimming and low-impact stuff for the time being.

Turner, who sustained a mild left ankle sprain Wednesday in Houston, is a go. Turner got treatment Thursday on the ankle and participated in Friday's shootaround.

“I'm going to come out and compete tonight,” Turner said.

Turner added that he has no limitations “once I get moving.”

“I ran today,” he said. “I competed at a high-energy level, which I normally do. I'll be fine. I just shouldn't worry about it, you know?”

Holiday, who's missed the last four games with a left foot sprain, also declared himself eligible for a return. He said Sixers trainer Kevin Johnson has been taping Holiday's his foot differently the last few days and said it's working.

Holiday said he appreciated Sixers coach Doug Collins' intent to keep Holiday out until he was 100 percent.

“I feel like if I came back any earlier, I guess the result of what happened would've been the same,” Holiday said. “I probably would have been out anyways because my foot was pretty bad. Again, the trainers took care of business and I'm good to go.”