Bulls’ Butler remains sidelined with bruised heel

Nick Nurse stated that he didn’t know whether James Harden would play in the Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason opener on Sunday.

“I do not know. I think that we still got a number of people that we’re trying to kind of ramp up to get to Sunday, so I don’t know how that’ll go yet,” said Nurse on Friday.

Harden participated fully in Friday’s practice, though there are still concerns whether he intends to rejoin the team “in earnest.“

Harden still has yet to speak to reporters since returning to the Sixers.

Nurse admitted that he was still tinkering with lineups.

“I’ll probably push some lineups and rotations around a little bit on the flight here this afternoon. I think all that stuff’s just a little bit fluid. Again, see how everybody comes out of [practice] tomorrow.”

Ja Morant has entered a counseling program in Florida and remains without a timetable on a return to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Morant has been seeking assistance for what he described in a statement as a need “to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”

Morant brandished a gun at a suburban Denver nightclub on his Instagram live feed March 4.

Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Monday that, “Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes after the next two games.”