PHILADELPHIA - For the first time in a long time, good news came out of Andrew Bynum's camp.
The injured center said Friday his bilateral knee bone bruises are healed and swelling has subsided, which allowed his personal physician and 76ers team doctors to clear him for the next step of his rehab.
"I consider this a baby step, as of right now," Bynum said.
But here's the caveat: Bynum said he has no idea when he can debut for the Sixers.
The 7-footer, who had been relegated to swimming, can begin the first of a six-step rehab plan. That includes exercising on a stationary bike, running on an antigravity treadmill, doing squats and engaging in catching exercises. Bynum said he'll skip the Sixers' upcoming seven-game roadtrip to stay here and begin his rehab. He said his doctors told him surgery is "off the table"
"(Stepping up rehab) is going to be tough, but it's going to be something I want to go through and just do it and get back in shape," Bynum said. "That's the real reason why it's unrealistic to say I'll be back in a couple weeks here or for anybody to have that type of notion. Like I said, the knee is good, but we still have a ways to go before I get back."
"I'm confident I'll be back on the court this season."
Bynum has not practiced or played at all with the Sixers, who traded for him Aug. 10. He has not played since May 21, in the Lakers' Western Conference semifinal series against the Thunder.
Sixers coach Doug Collins said he'd "love to have (Bynum) back," but understands the 25-year-old's situation. Collins said he hadn't been briefed too much on the six-step procedure.
"I saw Drew this morning and I said, `How do you feel about it?' He said they're moving in the right direction, and that's positive," Collins said. "I don't know what the timeframe is on that, but at least that's moving forward, which is good."
Bynum is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, which means at some point he'll have to demonstrate he's healthy enough to play for either the Sixers or another employer.
"From his standpoint, that he did hear good news, that has to be uplifting for him. It can't be fun," Collins said. "We traded for him to be here and play and he hasn't been able to play. That's demoralizing for him. More importantly for him, he's on the last year of his deal. He's got to get himself healthy and play. There's a lot at stake for him and our organization."
What's at stake won't be rushed, however.
Sixers general manager Tony DiLeo said there's no timetable established for either Bynum's return to the court, or a return visit to David Altchek, the personal physician Bynum visited Thursday.
"It's basically how he feels," DiLeo said. "Once he's comfortable with Stage 1 and his knees are reacting in a positive way, then we'll go on to Stage 2 and so on. It really depends on Andrew. We don't want to put a number of days on it or anything like that. We have a program planned out."
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Also dealing with injury, Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday found their way into the starting lineup.
Turner, who sustained a mild left ankle sprain Wednesday in Houston, got treatment Thursday on the ankle in order to avoid missed time. Holiday, who missed four games with a left foot sprain, said Sixers trainer Kevin Johnson has taped his foot differently the last few days, which helped with the pain.
Maalik Wayns, who is battling right foot pain, was available to play.
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The Sixers assigned rookie forward Arnett Moultrie to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their affiliate in the NBA Development League. Moultrie had played in 11 games for the Sixers.
As for Collins' expecations of him in the D-League...
"Get in shape and play," Collins said. "Arnett's got to play. It doesn't do him (any good) to fly around the country, stay in a hotel and get per diem. He's got to play."