Kevin Mulligan of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Derrick Coleman won?t be ready for the start of the season as originally expected. In a press conference to introduce the Sixers? newest player, Brian Skinner, Philadelphia General Manager Billy King revealed that Coleman?s recovery from knee surgery is not going as well as planned.

Coleman will miss the first month of the season after an examination Monday in New York showed the tissue in his left knee had not mended properly since June arthroscopic surgery. Coleman originally was expected to miss 3 to 4 months, with the hope he would be strong enough to open camp on Oct. 1, but now is not due back until late November. The season begins Oct. 29.

This news surprised all of us, Derrick as well," King said. "The tissue just hasn't healed as quickly as expected. Fortunately, with the addition of veterans like [Skinner], we've got an abundance of big guys who can play, and now it will be a matter of competing to see who gets minutes."

While Sixers brass attempted to downplay the Coleman news, it is a large blow to a team that spent the offseason adding depth and athleticism behind what appeared to be a set starting five of Allen Iverson, Eric Snow, Keith Van Horn, Todd MacCulloch and Coleman.