Sixers Forward Sees Massive Rise in 2024 NBA Re-Draft

Justin Edwards put together strong rookie campaign for the Sixers.

Mar 30, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards (19) shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Philadelphia 76ers expected to deploy a lineup loaded with veteran talent on a nightly basis. However, due to a litany of injuries, things ended up playing out much differently. For the majority of the year, Nick Nurse ended up deploying an array of young talent.

When the Sixers signed Justin Edwards as an undrafted free agent, they didn't expect him to see much time on the floor. As we know, he ended up being a prominent figure in the rotation. This ended up being one of the few bright spots of the season, as he showed the potential of being a rotation-level player in the NBA.

Across 44 appearances, Edwards averaged 10.1 PPG and shot 36.3% from beyond the arc. Along with showing flashes as a scorer, he also showed the potential of being a reliable two-way wing.

Edwards' talent was on full display on a nightly basis for the shorthanded Sixers. Among his notable individual showings was a January matchup against the OKC Thunder, when he notched 25 points, six rebounds and four assists.

With the regular season over, most rookies from this year's class have wrapped up their first season in the NBA. In light of this, the people at Bleacher Report decided to do an updated version of their 2024 re-draft. Among the most drastic risers was Edwards. After originally going undrafted, he found himself getting selected 20th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

HOT TAKE: A 6'8" wing who defends his butt off, knocks down threes, can hit the occasional mid-ranger and has enough of a handle to straight-line his way to the rim is valuable.

Seeing that their roster is primarily tied up in their star trio, the Sixers need to hit in the margins if they're going to be successful. Based on what they saw this season, Edwards has the potential to be a key piece for them. Having a rotation-level wing on such a team-friendly contract is big as they look to retool the roster to fulfill their championship aspirations.