Woj: Sixers Kelly Oubre could return in “two-plus weeks perhaps by the end of November”

Sixers
Philadelphia 76ers’ Kelly Oubre Jr., center, dunks past Phoenix Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic, from left, Kevin Durant and Josh Okogie during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers matchup against the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, a sprinkle of good news was mentioned on NBA Countdown by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In his segment, Woj stated that the Sixers’ wing is expected back in a matter of weeks.

According to Woj, Oubre has been in the Sixers’ facility “the last couple days” and he’s putting in some light work. He went on to say that it’s realistic to potentially expect Oubre back in “two-plus weeks, perhaps the end of November, the beginning of December.”

That timeline is far more encouraging than what initial reports suggested. Oubre has been the addition of the offseason for the Sixers, far outperforming initial expectations.

In eight games, Oubre has averaged 16.3 points, and 5.1 rebounds, while serving as a capable and committed defender. He’s also looked far more engaged in Philadelphia than he has in previous seasons for less competitive teams.

Without Oubre, the Sixers have once again lacked athleticism and defensive acumen on the win. His return will be be welcome to say the least.