The 76ers have loaded up around Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, and that has created some noise about where VJ Edgecombe fits in the big picture. But the second-year guard has done more than just survive the added star power. He has shown enough presence and poise to win over the people around him, including one of the team’s newest voices.
After only a week alongside Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown was already singing his praises.
“ I love VJ already. That’s one of my favorite people in the world, and we just met, ” Brown said.
Edgecombe also showed that leadership can come from thinking beyond himself. Once LeBron James joined the team, Edgecombe considered starting a group chat with the starting five, then decided it made more sense for Maxey to take the lead because of Maxey’s existing connection with James.
Nick Nurse said Edgecombe has carried himself like someone far older than his years.
“ I always say that we got a eight-year vet right out of the blocks with his composure and his demeanor,” head coach Nick Nurse said.
Edgecombe said he appreciates being listened to inside the organization.
“ I have men around me that’s really respectful, and they hear me out so they don’t just shut me down,” Edgecombe said. “ It’s just important that I always make my voice heard because we live in a world where people try to lessen your voice and I’m not going for that.”
Across the Atlantic Division, Kawhi Leonard wasted no time reminding Toronto what he can do. In his first game in a Raptors uniform since the 2019 Finals MVP run, Leonard played Tuesday’s preseason opener against the Knicks’ bench players and looked sharp from the start. He scored 21 points on 12 shots in 16 minutes, and Scottie Barnes said the defensive end stood out just as much.
“ Defensively, oh my God, he looked amazing, the way he played today,” said Scottie Barnes. “ Just being active, poking at the ball, physicality. It was amazing.”
In Brooklyn, the Nets’ backcourt picture keeps shifting, but Nolan Traore has refused to fade into the background. The second-year guard, taken with a top-10 pick in the 2026 draft alongside all the hype around Egor Demin, has become the team’s third-leading scorer heading into Wednesday despite limited minutes. With rookie Mikel Brown Jr. set to debut, Traore’s role could shrink again, which only makes what he has done so far more valuable.
Jordi Fernandez liked what he saw from Traore’s efficiency and confidence.
“ He touches the paint almost whenever he wants. And he’s been very efficient,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said.
“ I like his aggressiveness shooting the three, and his shot looks very confident. Credit to the work he’s put in the whole summer.
And just want to challenge him to improve defensively. There’s just a couple of hiccups that he could’ve been better; but I know he is tough and he’s up for the challenge.”
Noah Clowney is in a different spot after losing his starting job when Julius Randle arrived, but the fourth-year forward has made the transition look smooth. Clowney started 60 games last season and averaged 12.3 points and 4.1 rebounds, yet he has settled into a bench role this preseason without letting it drag down his play.
Fernandez pointed to Clowney’s steadiness and attention to detail.
“ He’s been consistent so far. The whole training camp, the whole, all these preseason games.
Very proud of him,” the Nets’ coach said. “ [We] challenge him.
We’re challenging him to rebound. But yet four assists to zero turnovers, that’s pretty impressive.
He’s just been very good - not too high, not too low. He’s always ready.
And that’s the Noah Clowney that we need, because we know that he makes a lot of winning plays.”
In Other News...
Michael Porter Jr. Voices A Frustration Nets Fans Know Too Well
Michael Porter Jr. has only been in Brooklyn long enough to notice something Nets fans have been saying for a while: home games do not always feel like home games. Speaking recently, Porter pointed to the way opposing supporters can take over the building and said the Nets need more of their own crowd noise if they want a real home-court edge. It is the kind of observation that tends to land differently when it comes from a new arrival, because it underscores just how much the atmosphere still has to grow.
The timing also fits with a roster that is trying to reset its image and its expectations, including the recent addition of Julius Randle. Porter and Randle both know the conversation around attendance and energy changes fast when a team starts winning more consistently, and that is the larger point hanging over Brooklyn right now. The Nets can add talent, but they still have to give the fan base enough reason to fill those seats and make the arena sound like it belongs to them. [Read more 🡒]
Julius Randle Just Gave Nets Fans A Reason To Revisit Finchs Comments
Julius Randle has wasted little time making an impression in Brooklyn, opening the preseason in a way that has given the Nets plenty to like about what he can bring. Coach Jordi Fernandez has been encouraged by the way Randle has fit in so far, and that matters for a team looking for more than just scoring from one of its most talented pieces.
Randle has long been viewed as a player who can set a tone as much as fill a box score, and the Nets seem to value that edge. For fans still parsing recent chatter around his demeanor elsewhere, his early work in Brooklyn is a reminder that his impact is about more than production, and the preseason is offering a first look at how that presence could matter over time. [Read more 🡒]
Noah Clowney Is Forcing A Big Nets Decision
Noah Clowney has turned a quiet preseason opportunity into a real conversation for the Nets, showing the kind of steady production that can make a young player hard to ignore. Brooklyn has liked what it has seen from the big man, who has been scoring efficiently and moving the ball well in recent games, and coach Jordi Fernndez has also pointed to the consistency Clowney is bringing to the floor.
The rise comes at exactly the right time for a player trying to carve out a larger role, because the front office now has a decision to make on his future with the team. External analysts have also been encouraged by the way Clowney has looked, noting both his potential and the way he fits with Brooklyns plans, which makes the next step feel like more than just a routine roster call. [Read more 🡒]