NBA Notes: Sixers, James Harden, Pacers, Rick Carlisle, Wolves

76ers

• The Sixers have officially ruled out James Harden for Saturday’s road game against the Raptors, per the league’s official injury report. Harden did not make the trip, of course, after reportedly being kept off the team flight.
• In case you missed it, the Sixers are confident they’ll still be pretty good despite the ongoing Harden drama. You can read that full story here.

Pacers

Center Myles Turner suggested he’s not surprised that coach Rick Carlisle received a contract extension.

“I think Rick knows how to command a room,” Turner said, via Tony East of SI.com. “I think it’s just a testament to who he is as a man and who he is as a coach. I think he does a good job of grabbing the attention and ears of his players, and he demands respect,” he added. Turner thinks that his head coach has been vital in setting a culture. “To have somebody who is able to command that respect day in and day out is huge.”

While admittedly happy with the extension, Carlisle added he’s focused on the task at hand.

“This is not really a time to celebrate. It’s a time to really recognize the responsibility,” he said.

Timberwolves

The Timberwolves have exercised the third-year team option on guard/forward Wendell Moore Jr., the team announced in a press release.

Moore, 22, was selected out of Duke with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He appeared in 29 games last season as a rookie.