September 24, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Justin Edwards panning out would give the Sixers a tremendous wing rotation.
Welcome to PhillyVoice's series of Sixers player previews ahead of the 2026-27 season.
After two years of volatility, Sixers fans entered this offseason teetering on apathy. Then came new Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey, the architect of what became a dream summer. Gansey traded Paul George away, landing five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. As Gansey accumulated depth around Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the door opened for an unfathomable addition.
LeBron James is a member of the Sixers, rounding out one of the most talented starting lineups in recent NBA history. And suddenly, the Sixers have cultivated more local and national interest than ever before. Games are not won on paper, but the Sixers are built to be full-blown championship contenders for however long James remains in Philadelphia.
As Sixers Media Day on Sept. 28 nears, our player preview series will focus on two key questions surrounding each member of the team's 14-player standard roster.
Up next: Justin Edwards, one of the lone bright spots of a miserable 2024-25 season. Edwards earned a long-term deal after standing out in a major way as an undrafted rookie, but his progress stopped and started throughout his sophomore season. The Sixers were banking on Edwards being a contributor last season; now he is a luxury – which means he has to make a leap to earn consistent minutes.
SIXERS PLAYER PREVIEWS
Joel Embiid | Labaron Philon Jr. | Dean Wade | Dominick Barlow | Adem Bona
Tyrese Maxey | VJ Edgecombe | Jaylen Brown | Ariel Hukporti
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Anfernee Simons | Jabari Walker | Justin Edwards
The most helpful factor working in Edwards' favor during his NBA career: Sixers head coach Nick Nurse is smitten.
"I love him," Nurse said after Edwards posted a game-winning performance in November. "I don't worry about him. He works extremely hard. He really worked on his shooting. He goes out there and tries as hard as he can on defense every time. He's not perfect, but he's a really good, developing young player that I love. He has a bad game, it doesn't even faze me, because I love him."
Before it was evident that Edwards had a long-term future with the Sixers, it was clear that Nurse was intrigued by his overall package of abilities. Edwards makes quick decisions and boasts a sturdy wing frame, with just enough athleticism to also be capable of defending guards.
More importantly, Nurse frequently points out, Edwards has a willingness to compete in each and every matchup. He has defended a who's-who of the league's elite players in his young career and, whether the results suggest success or not, Nurse is comfortable with Edwards out there.
But the results have not yet suggested that Edwards is a high-level defender. He is absolutely capable and versatile, but most advanced analytics suggest he is a subpar defender – perhaps a minuscule rebounding rate hurts him there – and the eye test suggests he is merely decent.
Edwards' long-term stock would be boosted significantly if he leaves no doubt that becoming a high-level defender is within reach. His versatility gives him a strong starting point. Nurse has asked him to be more "solid" – he means not making ill-advised gambles – but Edwards continuing to grow as a defensive playmaker would be valuable. Edwards has the right mindset to coexist with several high-usage offensive players; if he can prove to be a meaningfully better defensive player than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, for example, his chances of sticking in Nurse's rotation will skyrocket.
SIXERS FILM STUDIES
Jaylen Brown's strengths | Jaylen Brown's weaknesses
Anfernee Simons | Dean Wade | Ariel Hukporti
As is the case for Caldwell-Pope and most other perimeter-oriented role players, so much of Edwards' value in 2026-27 will simply be determined by the variance that comes with his three-point accuracy on catch-and-shoot opportunities. Edwards fires away quickly and confidently, and the speed of his release is a major asset.
Also extremely valuable: Edwards knows, if he does not get a shot off immediately upon catching a pass, he should probably move it along to the next guy. Edwards occasionally digs into his high-school bag and gets to an elbow pull-up he is very comfortable shooting, but for the most part plays with extreme decisiveness on every catch. It is one of the reasons Nurse is so fond of Edwards, and that ability will only become more valuable as Edwards plays with more stars.
Edwards is a career 36.8 percent shooter from beyond the arc – Nurse is a major believer there, too, and he has reason to be. Edwards' above-average accuracy has been buoyed by his quick release. He has taken three-point shots at extremely high volume, typically the true mark of a promising shooting prospect:
| Season | 3P% | 3PA per 100 possessions |
| 2024-25 | 36.3 | 8.1 |
| 2025-26 | 37.2 | 8.9 |
The Sixers need as many players as they can find capable of adding two-way value without playing on the ball at all. Dean Wade is a perfect example, and he is arguably the most important player on this roster outside of Nurse's projected starting lineup. Edwards certainly has the makeup of that kind of player. Will Edwards' third season be when he puts it all together for his hometown team?
SIXERS SIGN LEBRON JAMES
James' decision | Projecting Sixers' rotation | James' impact, on and off the court
