The Philadelphia 76ers may not have a lot of positives to take away from this season — having just been officially eliminated from postseason contention after their most recent loss — but there has been some silver linings for the squad in ways they did not expected. Case in point? Look no further than Justin Edwards, who has been a strong addition to the club in this campaign.
Coming out of the 2024 NBA Draft as an undrafted prospect, the 76ers took a flier on the Kentucky alum and it easily paid off. Filling in for a bunch of players and playing a myriad of roles, the 21-year-old has been pretty impressive in his freshman campaign, averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting nearly 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Moving forward, Edwards seems like a surefire keeper on the roster. Not only is he playing a position of need for the team, but he is also continuously building on his game, flashing some potential as a possible shot creator when the coaching staff started giving him the license to create for himself in recent weeks.
The 76ers have been scouting well, and Justin Edwards is the proof
It is pretty rare for the 76ers to be in the position to have a lofty draft pick. This year, should their pick land in the top six, they will get to possibly select one of the top prospects in the upcoming crop of rookies.
And if their most recent draft acquisitions in Justin Edwards and Jared McCain are any indication, the 76ers seem poised to ace this year’s draft bonanza as well.
Roster-building moving forward could be a really tough for Philly given how its payroll is currently configured. The new CBA rules limiting the spending power of teams through newly imposed restrictions also cannot be disregarded. Hence, it becomes highly important for the team to be able to draft well, even from a sub-lottery position.
Further, the 76ers have to start preparing for life without Joel Embiid. Him and Paul George are both unlikely to regain their top form due to age and injury issues, prompting the front office to start laying the groundwork to be a sustainable contender even when their curent nucleus dies out.
The best franchises draft well. While there can be misses, the hits are much more frequent. So far, the Philadelphia 76ers are demonstrating some proficiency with scouting prospects. Hopefully, it continues.