The 2026-27 NBA season could end up being a turning point for a few Philadelphia 76ers players, with three names standing out as possible one-and-done cases in Philly.
Justin Edwards is the first obvious candidate. He’s set to begin his third season with the 76ers, and if his game doesn’t take a noticeable step forward, this could wind up being his last year with the club.
At 6'7", he has the kind of size that fits the wing spot well, and the outline of a useful 3-and-D rotation player is there. The problem is that he still hasn’t put the package together.
There have been stretches where Edwards has shown real value on both ends, but the consistency just hasn’t followed. His perimeter defense still needs work, and his shot has to become more reliable.
Last season, he hit 37 percent of his threes and 44 percent of his field goals, numbers that are respectable but not enough to lock in his future. Philadelphia’s depth also complicates the picture, because his minutes may be limited.
If he doesn’t make them count, the 76ers could easily pass on his $2.6 million team option for next season.
Jabari Walker is in a different situation, but his future is just as unsettled. He is entering his second season with the Sixers after spending the first three years of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, and he’s in the final year of his current contract.
Even that doesn’t guarantee he’ll last all season in Philadelphia. His salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10, which gives the team a path to move on early if it wants to open cap space and create another roster spot.
That said, Walker gave the Sixers plenty to like during the preseason. If that carries over into real games and he turns those flashes into actual production, he could make a stronger case to stick around past this season.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rounds out the group, and his situation is straightforward: the 2026-27 campaign is his first with Philadelphia, and it may also be his last. He came in on a one-year, veteran minimum deal, so there’s no built-in guarantee that the relationship lasts beyond this season.
Caldwell-Pope is 33 and coming off a Memphis Grizzlies season in which he averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game. He also shot a career-low 31 percent from three.
Philadelphia brought him in for veteran three-and-D help, and if he fills that role the way the team wants, the signing will have done its job. Whether that leads to a return next summer is another question entirely.
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