Tom Moore with a small, if expected, report about Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Simmons, as you saw yesterday, played in a 5-on-5 game against fat white blokes in Australia this week, and a source confirmed to Moore that he was cleared to do so. But that, of course, brings up Embiid and whether or not he can run and jump and pass and amp up the crowd and do all the other assorted things he does when playing in actual basketball games. Nope:

The source said center Joel Embiid hasn’t been cleared for fullcourt scrimmaging “as of yet.” Embiid, who is from Cameroon, worked with children as part of the NBA Africa Game earlier this month, but didn’t play in the Aug. 5 game.

Embiid should, theoretically, be more than healed from a minor meniscus procedure he underwent in March, a full month after it was initially disclosed.

A few weeks ago there was another report that Embiid hadn’t yet been cleared. At the time it seemed like the Sixers were just being overly cautious. Three weeks later, that likely remains the case. But as Sixers fans, we’ve been conditioned to expect the worst. It seems kind of absurd that he’s not yet participating in scrimmages.

What’s more, Nerlens Noel, who many expected to get a max contract as a restricted free agent this summer, remains unsigned. He’ll be compelled to accept whatever the Mavs deem is his fair market value. That makes the Sixers’ decision to trade him for a fake first round pick all the more difficult to swallow. They could’ve kept him as an insurance policy for Embiid, albeit one who would’ve required a gap plan.

This is all likely meaningless. Embiid is probably fine. There’s no reason to force the issue. But, you know, some positive news would be good.