The Sixers wasted no time locking in VJ Edgecombe for another year, picking up the third-year option on the rookie guard’s contract after a debut that left little doubt about his place in Philadelphia’s plans.
The move secures Edgecombe’s $12.2 million salary for 2027-28, the team announced. He’ll make $11.7 million this season. Philadelphia also has until next fall to decide on his fourth-year option, which is worth approximately $15.4 million for 2028-29.
Edgecombe’s first season came with no shortage of production. The No. 3 overall pick averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals across 75 games, starting all 75 and logging 35 minutes per night.
He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc. That body of work was enough to land him third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, and he was a unanimous All-Rookie first-team choice.
While Philadelphia handled its business, San Antonio is still waiting on one of its headline additions. Tobias Harris will not be available for Tuesday’s opener against the Thunder as he continues to recover from a left calf strain, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Harris picked up the injury early in training camp and sat out all five preseason games. Coach Mitch Johnson said Monday that the forward is making progress, but still needs more time on the court before he can suit up.
“You get on the court (coming off an injury) and there’s quite a bit of layers you have to work through,” Johnson said, citing contact, activity and speed among the steps in that process.
The Spurs brought in Harris on a two-year, $30.8 million deal in July after two seasons with the Pistons, making him their primary free-agent addition. The 34-year-old was added to bring veteran experience to a roster looking to build on last season’s Finals appearance.
“He is ready to go and really wants to be out there,” Johnson said, “and I think he’s right where he needs to be.”
In Charlotte, Brandon Miller’s future is now officially mapped out for the long haul. The Hornets’ five-year, $209 million extension with the forward has been entered into the NBA’s transaction log, confirming a deal that ties him to the franchise well beyond this season.
The contract will start in 2027-28, after Miller plays out the final season of his rookie deal at $15.1 million. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the agreement Monday afternoon.
Miller gave Charlotte plenty of reason to make the commitment. Last season he put up 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while hitting 38.3 percent of his threes. The Hornets were 41-24 when he played and 3-14 when he didn’t.
That availability gap mattered, especially with Charlotte’s summer decision to trade LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves. Miller’s health has been the bigger concern.
Wrist surgery ended his second season, and a partially dislocated left shoulder knocked him out early last year. He returned to appear in 65 games before having shoulder surgery in May.
He played in three preseason games this fall, and now the Hornets have their top scorer back on the floor and signed for years to come.
In Other News...
Hornets May Have Another Frontcourt Option Showing Up Fast
Hannes Steinbach keeps showing up like he belongs in the conversation, and for the Hornets that is becoming more than a preseason curiosity. The rookie, taken 14th overall, has already put together strong showings in Summer League and carried that form into exhibition play, giving Charlotte another frontcourt name to track as it sorts through its options.
Against Memphis, Steinbach again gave the Hornets a useful glimpse of what he can bring, and coach Charles Lee came away focusing less on the box score than on the way the rookie approaches the job. Even in a loss, Charlotte has reason to keep leaning into that kind of production, especially if his steady habits continue to translate as the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Could Revisit A Familiar Roster Gamble Fans Will Debate
A familiar name is back in the conversation around Charlottes roster as the Hornets weigh another look at Dalton Knecht, the former first-round pick who was recently released by the Lakers. Knecht is now a free agent, and the appeal for Charlotte is pretty clear: hes a young shooter with some upside, and he could be the kind of low-risk addition that adds a little more depth on the wing without forcing the team to make a bigger commitment.
Theres also a little history here that makes the possibility more intriguing for Hornets fans. Charlotte has already tracked Knecht closely, and his availability gives the front office a chance to revisit a player it clearly liked before. Whether the fit turns into anything real remains to be seen, but the connection is strong enough to keep the discussion alive while the Hornets sort through ways to bolster the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Enter A New Era With One Big Question Hanging Over It
Charlotte spent the offseason reshaping its roster in a major way, moving on from LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Tre Mann while bringing in Naz Reid, Grayson Allen and Dennis Schroder. It is the kind of turnover that signals more than a tweak. The Hornets are clearly trying to reset the direction of the franchise, and the pieces they added suggest a new look built around size, shooting and a different tempo.
The early projection is that this group could settle into a respectable middle ground while it figures itself out, but the bigger story is how the lineup comes together once the season starts. A new starting five centered around Coby White, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabate has a very different feel from what Charlotte put on the floor a year ago, and the real question is whether that mix can develop quickly enough to keep the Hornets competitive while the new era takes shape. [Read more 🡒]