Sources: Sixers converting former Imhotep Charter star Justin Edwards’ contract to standard NBA deal

MILWAUKEE — The 76ers will sign Justin Edwards to a standard NBA contract for the remainder of the season with a team option for the 2025-26 season, according to multiple sources.

Both parties are interested in exploring a longer-term deal in the offseason, the sources say. The Sixers originally signed the former Imhotep Charter and Kentucky standout to a two-way contract on July 4 after he went undrafted in June.

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The 6-foot-6 forward, who started the past seven games, is averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 22 games.

Not afraid of the moment, Edwards had career highs of 25 points and four three-pointers against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 14. The 21-year-old, who grew up in the Frankford and Uptown sections of Philly, also made four three-pointers on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Since breaking into the Sixers’ rotation, Edwards has displayed the confidence he had as the nation’s third-best prospect coming out of high school in 2023.

At Imhotep, he averaged 17.9 points and 7.5 rebounds while leading the Panthers to a 30-3 record, the PIAA Class 5A state championship, and the No. 11 national ranking by USA Today.

His lone season at Kentucky produced mixed results. Edwards averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds as a freshman before becoming the first top-three recruit to go unselected in the NBA draft. But that disappointing distinction led Edwards to a deal with his hometown Sixers.

Imhotep will retire Edwards’ No. 3 high school jersey on Thursday, according to sources.

Andre Drummond returned to wearing No. 1 for the Sixers after KJ Martin was traded to the Detroit Pistons and rerouted to the Utah Jazz. This comes after the Sixers reserve center wore No. 5 for the first 50 games of the season.

Drummond decided to switch numbers after Quentin Grimes, who was acquired in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, asked if he could wear No. 5. Grimes wore that number with the Mavs. Drummond didn’t have a problem switching numbers because he wore No. 1 when he played for the Sixers during the 2021-22 season before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10, 2022.

“It feels right,” Drummond said of the switch. “That’s the number that I liked. So in honor of KJ, my brother, I really wanted the number, too, anyway. So I went back and got it.”

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Drummond had a lot of success with that number during his first stint with the Sixers.

“So it’s bringing back old vibes,” he said. “I’m trying to bring back good times.”

But does he have any second thoughts about handing over No. 5 so quickly to Grimes, who originally was scheduled to wear No. 25?

“I should had made him pay, but I didn’t,” Drummond said jokingly. “Everybody won. If I couldn’t get No. 1, he was not getting that. I can tell you that right now. He was about to get 55 or some [stuff].”

The Sixers (20-31) will face the Milwaukee Bucks (27-23) at Fiserv Forum on Sunday (2 p.m., NBCSP).