The Sixers’ latest blockbuster didn’t just catch fans off guard - it even blindsided some of the people inside the building.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe said he briefly worried he’d been shipped out when executive Jameer Nelson kept trying to get in touch with him. “I was like, ‘Man, it’s free agency, why you calling me so much?'”
Edgecombe said. “I thought I was gone.”
Second-year wing Justin Edwards had a similar reaction when the Jaylen Brown news started floating around. “They were talking about Jaylen Brown and PG (Paul George), but I didn’t pay attention to it,” Edwards said.
“Then I looked again. I’m like, ‘Oh, snap!'”
Edwards then reached out to Tyrese Maxey, only to find out the All-Star guard had already known about the deal for several hours.
The move also comes with a cost beyond the headline names. As Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice noted, Philadelphia now has limited flexibility with future first-round picks, which makes another major trade harder to pull off anytime soon.
In New York, Jalen Brunson says his wrist recovery is moving along as planned. Speaking with Variety, the Knicks star said he expects to stay in a cast for about another month before starting the next stage of rehab.
“I should be good,” Brunson said.
Brunson also opened up about how much the injury bothered him during the postseason. He said a damaged tendon kept snapping over the bone in his wrist every time he shot the ball, leaving him in significant pain. Even so, he said the adrenaline of playoff games helped him get through it before he had surgery earlier this month.
Out in Los Angeles, the Clippers are bringing in another big-time rim protector. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the team has agreed to a two-way contract with 7-foot-5 center Jamarion Sharp.
Sharp made his name last season with the Texas Legends, where he led the G League with 3.9 blocks per game and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also turned heads in Summer League, putting up 7.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks across five games.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser is still working his way back from foot procedures.
In Other News...
Clippers Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Frontcourt Concern
The Clippers have added another body to the middle, agreeing to a two-way contract with free agent center Jamarion Sharp, according to his agent Scott Nichols. Sharp went undrafted in 2024 and has spent most of his time in the G League, but he brings a profile the Clippers have clearly valued as they sort through their frontcourt depth.
Sharps calling card has been defense, and that is not a small thing for a team looking to stay organized around the rim. He was named the NBAGL Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in blocks, and he also earned a spot on the G League All-Defensive team. For the Clippers, the move looks like a practical one as they wait for Yanic Konan Niederhauser to work back from foot procedures, even if the longer-term rotation picture still has some sorting out to do. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans Just Got Another Reason To Debate A Risky Trade Fit
A speculative three-team trade has started making the rounds involving the Lakers, Mavericks and Clippers, and it is the kind of idea that instantly gets attention around Los Angeles. In the framework, Dallas would land Cameron Christie and Jarred Vanderbilt, while the Clippers would come away with Daniel Gafford, a move that would clearly be aimed at adding size and presence in the middle.
For the Clippers, Gafford is the sort of name that invites both intrigue and caution because the fit would come with real upside but also real questions about how much a roster already built around flexibility wants to commit. Since nothing has been confirmed by any team, it remains more of a debate starter than a deal, but it is exactly the kind of proposal that can linger when a front office is looking for ways to sharpen the rotation. [Read more 🡒]