Report: 76ers' Kelly Oubre Jr. Eyeing Return From Rib Injury vs. Wizards or Hawks

Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. could return to the court less than one month after suffering a fractured rib in a reported hit-and-run.

Oubre is "targeting a return to action next week," The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Friday.

Potential return dates for Oubre include Wednesday at the Washington Wizards or Friday versus the Atlanta Hawks, per Charania.

Oubre was struck by a motor vehicle while walking near his home in Philadelphia on November 11, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. He was hospitalized and released the same night, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowksi.

Prior to his injury, Oubre was averaging 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals through eight games.

Oubre joined the Sixers this week on a two-game road trip for contests against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday and the Boston Celtics on Friday, according to head coach Nick Nurse.

Nurse said Tuesday that Oubre was participating in "portions" of practice and could "maybe" return Friday against the Celtics, depending on his conditioning and ability to take contact, per Sixers Wire's Ky Carlin.

"There's some conditioning work that needs to be done on top of just seeing what he can handle contact-wise... I'm just waiting for medical to tell me he's ready to go, right?" Nurse said Tuesday. "I think that's always the progress of, can he go? Is he freely moving? Which I think he is. Can he get into this contact part of it? Not quite all the way there yet, I don't think."

Oubre joined the Sixers this offseason on a one-year veteran-minimum contract and immediately impressed with 27 points off the bench during his team debut, an Oct. 26 season-opening loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

That marked the most points ever scored by a reserve player in the first game of a 76ers season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Oubre cracked the starting lineup three games later once the Sixers traded James Harden and P.J. Tucker to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Former Clippers forward Nicolas Batum has been taking Oubre's place during his absence and has averaged 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds through seven starts.

The return of the veteran forward could serve as a boost for the Sixers, who have gone 5-5 since Oubre's injury after getting off to a 7-1 start.