The Sixers' roster will again not be fully stocked for the team's game Wednesday night in Philadelphia against the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls.
Tobias Harris (health and safety protocols), Danny Green (left hamstring tightness) and Ben Simmons (personal reasons) were listed as out on the NBA's Tuesday night injury report. Joel Embiid is expected to play after resting for Monday's win over the Trail Blazers.
Grant Riller is sidelined as he recovers from a meniscus tear in his left knee. Jaden Springer and Aaron Henry are with the Delaware Blue Coats, who begin their season with a matchup Saturday against the Long Island Nets.
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For Chicago, Patrick Williams and Coby White are out with long-term injuries.
According to Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, the team learned Harris was scratched about 40 minutes before tipping off Monday's win over the Trail Blazers. The coaching staff then conferred and inserted Furkan Korkmaz into the starting lineup. Regardless of who starts against the Bulls, Georges Niang, Korkmaz and Matisse Thybulle appear set to take on substantial minutes.
NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark reported the Sixers are unsure when Harris will be cleared. Rivers, who hadn't yet spoken with Harris when he talked with reporters after Monday's game, will likely have more information on the 29-year-old's status Wednesday.
Meanwhile, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Sixers are "increasingly frustrated" with Simmons' "refusal to accept organizational assistance to address his mental readiness to play." ESPN reported Simmons has worked with mental health professionals through the National Basketball Players Association since the summer.
NBA
"Sources close to Simmons told ESPN they expect to provide the team with updates on his progress once he is comfortable doing so," Shelburne and Wojnarowski reported.
Simmons met with teammates on Oct. 22 and told them he's not mentally ready to play. Since then, he's been designated as out for personal reasons. He's been working out at the Sixers' practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, but not participating in group activities.
How one assesses his status seems largely determined by perspective, which has been the case for a while. The current state of affairs looks preferable for the Sixers to Simmons' being a "distraction" at practice and suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, but there's no sign his season debut is imminent or that any trade conversations are at an advanced stage. Nothing from Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey suggests he's going to settle soon.
The Sixers have still managed to begin the season 5-2 without Simmons, and they'll be seriously shorthanded Wednesday as they search for a fourth consecutive win.