Entering this campaign, the Philadelphia 76ers had high hopes for Justin Edwards. After all, despite being undrafted during the 2024 NBA Draft, he emerged as one of the most stable contributors on the team last season. The front office got incredible value by taking a flier on him, so it was only natural to levy those lofty expectations for his sophomore year.
Unfortunately, things quickly took a downward spiral for Edwards this season. After averaging more than 26 minutes per game last season, he is down to just 14.4 this time around. He has fallen out of Nick Nurse’s favor in the rotation, and while the team getting relatively healthier is a big factor for the reduction in minutes, he also has not helped himself get more time on the hardwood.
So far, Edwards’ numbers have been mediocre in every sense of the word. He is turning in just 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per outing. Even worse, he is draining just 39.8 percent of his shots, which includes a meager 33.6 percent success rate from behind the three-point line. As such, suffice to say that the 76ers are probably already thinking twice about his future in Philly.
The 76ers must be running out of patience with Justin Edwards
With Paul George still slated to miss a lot of games until his expected return near the end of the regular season, Edwards should have more sizeable opportunities to showcase his skills and convince the coaching staff that he should be reinstated into the regular rotation when the team is fully healthy.
But to do just that, he will have to elevate his game and start being consistent. Too often does he resort to trying to do too many things on the floor in his limited minutes, pressured by the fact that he has a pretty short leash. That has to change.
At his best, Edwards is an adept three-and-D piece who can be a solid contributor despite his limited touches on the offensive end. That is the precise archetype the 76ers need from their role players, meaning that the sophomore still has a chance to regain the trust of the coaches.
Having said that, give the kind of season he has had, his margin of error is becoming smaller with each passing game. That is why he needs to play with more urgency, as the 76ers can easily let him go.