VJ Edgecombe will be thrown into the fire in his first NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the pressure will be on to perform right away.
On paper, the Philadelphia 76ers should be the sole title favorites. Between Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George, they have three elite players, plus the would-be Rookie of the Year in Jared McCain and decent depth backing them up.
However, George and Embiid are not expected to start the season at their best, if at all, and rookie VJ Edgecombe, an elite talent in his own right, will be expected to play a massive role right away.
Once the postseason comes around, that role should change, or at least, fans should hope that it will.
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty ImagesEarly expectations for VJ Edgecombe revealed
Maxey, McCain, and Edgecombe are expected to be the three best players for the Sixers to open the season.
George just underwent an arthroscopic surgery, and Embiid’s injury record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, so the three younger guards will be relied on to set the tone early and lay out the rest of the season.
“You know Embiid will not be right at the beginning of the season, and now you know that Paul George will not be right at the beginning of the season,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Edgecombe has already stood out in the Summer League and is expected to be one of the best rookies in the class, hence his going third overall, and he will have a major role right away.
“So what you’re having to hope for is that with VJ Edgecombe, they were able to get this major talent infusion with the return of some of their other young players who were bothered by injuries last year,” Windhorst continued.
“That they will be able to at least be a top six team.”
If the Sixers can miss the play-in tournament thanks in large part to Edgecombe, they will be set up to go on a deep playoff run, and the rookie will be able to take a step back.
How 76ers will use Edgecombe in the playoffs
The Eastern Conference is weaker than ever, and if the 76ers can make the playoffs outright with a healthy Embiid, George, Maxey, McCain, Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, and Quentin Grimes, they could very well rival the better teams in the East like the Knicks and Cavaliers.
Similarly to how the LA Clippers didn’t allow Kawhi Leonard to suit up until January, the Sixers could use the same approach with their often-injured duo, although by the time the postseason rolls around, they will be healthy and active.
As a result, Edgecombe should find himself in a reduced role behind more established and better (for now) veterans.
“What you’re hoping for is that by the end of the season that people have worked through their issues and are off their restrictions with various surgeries,” added Windhorst.
“And that they can be a top-level team. But these are all hopes and suppositions and projections.”
If the Sixers can enjoy a healthy postseason, they should be the favorites against virtually any team in the entire league, not just the East, although that’s a lot to rest on Embiid’s often fragile shoulders.