Sixers Notes: Carter-Williams just about ready to return

MILWAUKEE - 76ers coach Brett Brown said Michael Carter-Williams is anxious.

"Real anxious in wanting to get going and becoming more and more opinionated in a good way," Brown said of the injured point guard, who is set to begin full scrimmaging on Thursday. "I think he feels like, it's getting closer. 'I have ideas. I have thoughts as a point guard. I sat all this time. I want to be heard.' "

Carter-Williams appeared anxious to play during Friday's morning shootaround for that night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Last season's rookie of the year hasn't participated in a full practice since May 6 surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder. He could make his season debut on Nov. 13 against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.

"I just want to get back out there and help the team," said Carter-Williams, who along with Nerlens Noel and Tony Wroten had their team options for the 2015-16 season picked up Thursday night.

Carter-Williams, a 6-foot-6 and beefed-up 196-pounder, said he can shoot without pain for the first time since his freshman season at Syracuse in 2011-12.

While that's a bonus, Carter-Williams is not in game shape, although he has participated in a few drills. He doesn't think it will take long for his conditioning to be at its optimal level. Nor does he think it will take him long to resume playing at a high level.

"I think my game will come back quick when it's time to come back," he said. "I'm going in with a positive attitude about it. So that's the mind-set going in, just taking the game slow and [letting] it come to me and [doing] the little things, and then I can start really pushing it."

Carter-Williams, Noel, and Wroten were all pleased that their team options were picked up.

Noel jokingly wondered about the timing. The deadline to pick up options on first-round picks from the 2012 and 2013 draft was Friday. But several teams had already picked up options.

"I was getting a little nervous," he said. Sixers general manager "Sam [Hinkie] took his sweet time with that. I'm glad. I'm glad to be a 76er, continuing."

No one doubted that the franchise would execute the third-year options for Noel and Carter-Williams. The two, along with injured rookie Joel Embiid and Dario Saric (playing overseas), are the future of the franchise.

But the Sixers proved they are committed to Wroten's development by picking up his fourth-year option. The backup point guard could become a go-to scorer off the bench.

"Since I first got here, I loved this organization, loved this city, and loved the fans," said Wroten, whom the Sixers acquired from the Grizzlies in a 2013 trade. "This is where I want to be. So I'm just another step, another year closer."