Jason Richardson may return Friday, Carter-Williams not practicing

The All-Star Break brought with it a new marketing initiative that turns the focus to the present as soon as 2015-16 for the Philadelphia 76ers. It may not bring with it a healthy Michael Carter-Williams.

The reigning Rookie of the Year missed the team's final three games before the break due to a sprained right big toe, an issue that continues to plague him even after more than two full weeks off. Carter-Williams missed practice Wednesday and head coach Brett Brown seemed surprised that the injury continues to linger.

"There's still a concern because of the soreness," Brown said. "I wasn't expecting to hear that news."

Carter-Williams, who is averaging 15 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists, will be re-evaluated Thursday and his status for Friday's game remains up in the air. While he's struggled to build on his strong freshman campaign at the offensive end, the Syracuse product has taken strides defensively and begun to build a nice chemistry at that end of the floor with some of the team's other young pieces.

Not among those young pieces is 34-year-old veteran Jason Richardson, who is hoping to play for the first time in more than two years Friday. Richardson was hoping to play before the break but wasn't quite ready to return from the knee and ankle issues that have kept him sidelined for half of the four-year, $24-million deal he's playing on.

"Personally, as a competitor, I definitely want to play on Friday," Richardson said after scrimmaging with the starting unit. "It's all up to how my knee responds."

It's unclear how much Brown would lean on Richardson in the rotation, but it will be nice to see the two-time Slam Dunk Champion back on the court in any form. With 12 players on the roster age 25 or younger, Richardson has embraced his status as the team's elder statesman but would surely like to show the league he still has something left ahead of free agency this summer.