Jan 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards (19) dunks the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images David Banks-Imagn Images

Philadelphia 76ers Could Get Key Player Back vs Bulls

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Feb 23, 2025 3:26 PM ET

Just as Justin Edwards started competing with the Philadelphia 76ers on his standard contract, the young rookie started dealing with a setback.

Before the Sixers went into the All-Star break, Edwards checked in for 31 minutes against the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers came up short, going into the break with a five-game losing streak.

Earlier this week, the Sixers held a couple of practice sessions before hosting the Boston Celtics for their first matchup back. Edwards injured his ankle during the first session. At that point, his status moving forward was in question.

Dealing with an ankle sprain, Edwards was ruled out for the next two games. He missed the matchups against the Celtics and the Nets. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse noted that there was hope Edwards could return against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

When the Sixers held a practice session on Sunday, Edwards was a partial participant. According to reports, Nurse revealed that Edwards participated in about 75 percent of the session. While the rookie hasn’t been cleared to return to the court for a matchup just yet, it seems there is a good chance he could be back in action against the Bulls to begin next week’s slate.

Nick Nurse says that Justin Edwards was about a 75% participant in today's practice, and that there is a chance he plays in tomorrow's game.

Joel Embiid did not practice.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 23, 2025

Since the start of the new year, Edwards has appeared in 23 games for the Sixers. Seeing the court for an average of 26 minutes, Edwards has produced nine points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent shooting from three.

Although Edwards started his NBA career as an undrafted prospect on a two-way deal, his improvements throughout the year proved to the Sixers he was worthy of a standard deal. On February 9, the Sixers announced they had agreed to a new contract with Edwards.

The Sixers are likely to keep Edwards in the rotation when he returns, as he proved to be a valuable presence as he continues developing.