The Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason overhaul has changed the picture for a lot of players, and VJ Edgecombe may be one of the biggest names affected. After a rookie season that put him third in the Rookie of the Year race, the 21-year-old could be staring at a very different role once the regular season gets rolling.
Edgecombe was a fixture in the starting five last year. He opened all 75 regular-season games he played in and also started 11 playoff games, while putting up 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per night across 35 minutes a game.
He even got the nod in both of Philadelphia’s preseason games so far. But that does not necessarily mean the job is locked down.
With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now in the mix, the 76ers have a far more crowded offensive picture. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are still there, too, and that creates a real question about how many ball-dominant players can comfortably share the floor at once. Edgecombe posted a usage rate of 20.1% last season, but that number is almost certain to shrink with Brown and LeBron handling more of the action.
That is where Dean Wade enters the conversation. If Edgecombe slides to the bench, Wade looks like the cleaner fit alongside Philadelphia’s top names.
He brings a career three-point mark of over 36% and gives the 76ers a versatile defender who can space the floor and let the stars do their thing. In that setup, Philadelphia would get more balance, and Edgecombe would get a different kind of opportunity.
Coming off the bench could also put Edgecombe in the mix for Sixth Man of the Year. It would give him more touches, more freedom, and a chance to lean into what he does best: shooting and playmaking. Instead of being the third option behind Embiid and Maxey, he could become a centerpiece of the second unit.
There is also the simple reality that Philadelphia’s stars are likely to miss games during the regular season, which could push Edgecombe back into the starting lineup plenty of times anyway. But when everyone is available, the cleaner path may be for him to lead the bench.
For Edgecombe, that would mean fewer starts than the 75 he logged a year ago. It might also mean a better fit for both him and a 76ers team trying to maximize its new-look roster.
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