Rich Paul isn’t worried about VJ Edgecombe’s future payday, even with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now in the mix.
Edgecombe, the Philadelphia 76ers’ third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, already showed plenty as a rookie. He finished third in the ROTY rankings last season after putting up 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, and he’s been billed as a player who can do a little bit of everything. Now, though, he could be looking at a much different role on a roster that also includes Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.
Rich Paul believes Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will benefit the most with LeBron on the Sixers
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) July 31, 2026
Rich also doesn’t believe that VJ’s future money is affected by the additions of LeBron and Jaylen Brown
(Via Game Over) pic.twitter.com/DR8ES4Rh8w
Paul thinks that won’t hurt Edgecombe nearly as much as some might assume. In fact, he said on the Game Over episode that Edgecombe could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new arrivals, even if the numbers dip.
“I think Tyrese will benefit the most, in all ways because he is not the youngest, but, he is a perennial All-Star now and its his team. The second most benefactor is VJ Edgecombe and the reason why I say this is because, if he embraces it the right way and don’t listen to anybody or social media,” Paul explained.
Paul’s point was simple: scoring totals don’t always tell the whole story. He brought up OG Anunoby, who landed a 5-year, $212.5 million deal despite not averaging 20 points per game in any of his last three seasons.
“Points don’t necessarily equate to a deal all the time. There is a lot to unpack.
My thing with VJ is…yes VJ is ultra talented, can do it all, but sometimes, being able to do it all leads to you know, maybe it’s a bad shot attempt, maybe it’s not understanding the game. The reason why I say he will benefit is because now, he is gonna be able to become such an efficient player,” Paul claimed.
He also pointed to Tristan Thompson as another example, noting Thompson’s five-year, $82 million extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers in October 2016, two years after LeBron returned for his second stint in 2014. Thompson, like Anunoby, wasn’t a big scorer, but he still got paid for what he brought on the interior and on defense.
For Paul, the message to Edgecombe is straightforward: tune out the noise, lean into the opportunity, and let LeBron’s presence help sharpen his game. Even if the points and assists don’t jump next season, Paul believes Edgecombe can still keep growing and eventually cash in on a contract that matches his talent.
And beyond the money, there’s another obvious upside here. With Brown and LeBron alongside him, Edgecombe could also be in position to chase his first championship.
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