The 76ers may already have one of the East’s most dangerous problems for the Celtics to deal with: a young player who sounds perfectly fine not being the center of attention.
VJ Edgecombe, heading into his second NBA season, made it clear he’s not fixated on shot totals or personal usage. He’s locked in on the bigger picture.
“I just want to win. I’m going to still be aggressive, still be myself.
If that comes with less shots or more shots, who knows. I don’t know how the course of the game is going to go.
I’m just excited to play alongside my teammates. I think we have a chance to do something really special,” Edgecombe said (via Inquirer).
That kind of answer matters, especially for a Philadelphia team that looks loaded on paper. The 76ers are said to have one of the strongest starting fives in the league going into next season, and Edgecombe’s role could wind up changing depending on how the lineup shakes out.
He was excellent as a rookie, but the offseason additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James could push him down the pecking order as a scoring option. In fact, he may not even settle in as a top three or four choice for Philadelphia. Still, that doesn’t sound like a concern for him.
If anything, his message was about fitting in without fading away. Edgecombe believes he can help even if the ball isn’t in his hands as often, and his value isn’t limited to what he does on offense. He should matter on the defensive end too.
Health is the one obvious question. All five players probably won’t be available together every night for the full season, which could open up stretches where Edgecombe gets more responsibility. But the larger issue for Philadelphia is figuring out how to make the whole thing work.
The talent is there. The challenge is balance. And if the 76ers find it, teams like the Celtics will have plenty to worry about.
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Payton Pritchards Jaylen Brown Reaction Says A Lot About Bostons Next Step
Payton Pritchard did not spend much time dwelling on Jaylen Browns move to Philadelphia, at least not publicly. Speaking after the trade, the Celtics guard framed it the way players often do when the business side of the league lands hardest: as part of the job, and as another chance to absorb what a teammate like Brown taught him along the way. Pritchard also said the teams group chat has not turned into a postmortem on the deal, which is usually a sign that the roster is already shifting its attention to the next phase.
That next phase arrives quickly, with Boston set to open preseason against the Cavaliers on Oct. 8 before hosting the 76ers two days later. Pritchards focus on his own game fits the moment, because the Celtics are about to find out what their new shape looks like in real time, and one of the first chances to measure it will come against Brown in a Philadelphia uniform. The early days of camp and preseason tend to reveal what a team is ready to say out loud and what it is still sorting through quietly. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchards Celtics Reaction Says Plenty About Bostons New Reality
Chris Cenacs arrival at No. 27 gave the Celtics another young piece to think about, and his college coach, Kelvin Sampson, made the fit sound pretty straightforward. Boston also has a lot more going on around the edges of the roster, with owner Bill Chisholm saying there are no immediate plans for a new arena and veteran point guard Mike Conley already sounding energized about landing in the mix.
Still, the clearest window into where things stand may have come from Payton Pritchard, whose reaction to Jaylen Browns move to Philadelphia said plenty about how different this version of the Celtics feels. Between a fresh draft pick, a veteran addition, and the franchises long-term building questions, Boston is entering a stretch where almost every comment seems to hint at a bigger reset still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchard Could Gain Something Huge From Mike Conley
Payton Pritchard has already grown into an important part of Bostons rotation, but the Celtics summer moves suggest there is still room for him to sharpen the finer points of running an offense. After trading Jaylen Brown, the front office went into the offseason looking to build a better support system around Jayson Tatum and Paul George, and the addition of Mike Conley Jr. fits neatly into that plan. Conley brings the kind of veteran steadiness and point guard know-how that can help a player like Pritchard keep expanding his game.
For Boston, this is about more than just filling out the depth chart. Conley is expected to provide leadership and mentorship to younger players, and Pritchard stands out as one of the clearest beneficiaries because of how much he can still absorb about the position. The Celtics do not need him to become a different player, but if Conley can help him see the floor a little better and manage the offense with more control, that is the sort of quiet upgrade that can matter once the games get tight. [Read more 🡒]