The Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to bounce back in the coming season following a miserable 24-58 year. The Sixers were ravaged by injuries in the 2024-25 season and it cost them any chances they had at winning anything realistic. It was a long year, but the goal now is to get back on the path of contention.

The Sixers will hope Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey will be healthy enough to play together more than the 18 games they played in together–finishing only 15 of those–in the previous season. Philadelphia went 7-8 in those 15 games as the chemistry and cohesion just wasn’t there.

Advertisement

As the 2025-26 season is quickly approaching, one has to wonder who should be starting next to the Big 3. One has to assume that the group of players coach Nick Nurse will look at will include second-year guard Jared McCain, rookie VJ Edgecombe, the likely presence of RFA Quentin Grimes, and Kelly Oubre Jr.

Now’s the time to look at each option:

Jared McCain

McCain makes the most sense to start. His innate ability to be able to move off the ball, find open spots on the floor, and be able to knock down 3s off movement is impressive for a player so young. Before his rookie season was cut short after just 23 games due to a meniscus injury, he shot a blistering 38.3% from deep and averaged 15.3 points. He was on his way to being in the Rookie of the Year race and his shooting will be important next to the team’s trio of stars.

Advertisement

Quentin Grimes

Grimes currently remains unsigned, but the expectation is that he will return to the Sixers in some capacity, whether it’s on a new deal or via the qualifying offer. Should he return, he would be another great option to start. He averaged 21.9 points for the Sixers after being acquired at the deadline and showed what he can do when given the chance to have the ball in his hands. In this case, he would be reverting back to more of a role player, but his 3-point shooting (career 37.5%) would do wonders in this starting unit. Throw in the fact that he is a solid defender and he’s a strong option for Nurse.

VJ Edgecombe

Many will be clamoring for the rookie to be in the starting lineup, but not yet. He does need to refine his 3-point shooting a bit before that happens. He shot 34% from deep in college, but shot only 2-for-12 from deep in the two summer league games he was able to play in. As Edgecombe prepares for his rookie season, he will need to develop his offensive game a bit more, but he will be in this team’s rotation from the jump due to his athleticism and ability to get to the basket. He also can get to the line and keep the scoreboard moving.

Advertisement

Kelly Oubre Jr.

Oubre could be in the starting lineup because he plays a versatile game that fits well next to the stars. He is a guy the Sixers can always turn to and have him play a number of roles and that is important in today’s NBA. He will certainly need to shoot better than the 29.3% he shot from deep in the 2024-25 season, but that number should rise as he gets healthy as well. The Sixers like Oubre’s game and it would make sense should they turn to him in the lineup for this group.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Who should start for Sixers around Big 3 in the 2025-26 season?