76ers Backcourt Experiment: McCain and Edgecombe Show Promise in Early-Season Trial Run
PHILADELPHIA - It’s still early in the season, but the Philadelphia 76ers are already tinkering with their rotation, searching for combinations that can give them an edge now and down the road. One experiment that’s starting to catch some attention? A young, energetic backcourt pairing of rookies Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe.
In Tuesday’s win over the Washington Wizards, head coach Nick Nurse gave the duo an extended look together - and the results were encouraging. According to Cleaning the Glass, lineups featuring McCain and Edgecombe posted a +7.6 net rating. That’s not just a statistical blip - it’s a sign that there’s real potential in this pairing.
McCain brings the shooting, Edgecombe brings the athleticism, and together they offer a fresh dynamic that could help lighten the load on Tyrese Maxey, who’s been carrying a significant share of the offensive burden.
“It’s fire,” McCain said after the game, flashing a smile. “I love playing with VJ - great energy.
Being able to give Reese [Maxey] some minutes on the bench, give him some rest, I think it'd be great. Me and VJ back there - it’s fun playing with him.
I mean, you see it - he’s exciting.”
That excitement is exactly what Nurse and his staff are hoping to cultivate. The goal isn’t just to find a serviceable second unit - it’s to develop a versatile, interchangeable backcourt that can function in multiple lineup combinations.
Think McCain and Edgecombe together, or alongside Maxey and Quentin Grimes. The more options Nurse has, the more unpredictable and dangerous this team becomes.
“I think for the first time, you have to be fairly happy with it tonight,” Nurse said postgame. “It needs more time, for sure.
But there’s a scenario where three of those four guys - McCain, Edgecombe, Maxey, Grimes - are on the floor together a lot. And that means any one of them could be off, so the pairing of McCain and Edgecombe needs to be there.
That was the hope coming into the season.”
What stands out about both young guards is their feel for the game. They don’t force the issue.
They read the floor, pick their spots, and understand when to attack and when to reset. That kind of decision-making is rare in rookies, and it’s something the Sixers are clearly trying to nurture.
“It’s part of the reason we spread the floor out and we’re moving the ball a lot more,” Nurse explained. “We’re getting them to play downhill, off the catch, all that stuff.
We’re not quite there yet, but there are glimpses. You saw it tonight - we spread them out, they go back and forth, and then boom - one of them’s down the lane making a play.”
That blend of patience and explosiveness is what makes this pairing so intriguing. McCain’s range forces defenders to stay honest, while Edgecombe’s quick first step and vertical pop open up lanes and passing angles.
And when they don’t have something? They’re smart enough to kick it back out and start again.
“They either take it forcefully to the rim or they just kick it out to a shooter or start it all over again,” Nurse said. “They need the time out there together, and tonight was a good night to look at it. I hope we get more chances because we need the reps.”
Edgecombe understands that this is a long-term project. There are still 62 games left in the regular season, and the goal is steady growth - not just for himself and McCain, but for the Sixers as a whole.
“It’s a steady progression,” Edgecombe said. “Jared’s really good.
He can shoot the ball, so they gotta respect him. I try to have him close to me - if they help, I know it’s an assist if he shoots it.
He’s finding his rhythm, and I’m happy for him. He’s starting to look like Jared again.
Just knowing the stuff he’s been through, the different obstacles - man, it’s great to see. I’m glad to be a part of his journey.”
And while the development of McCain and Edgecombe is exciting in its own right, there’s a very practical benefit to all this: giving Maxey a breather. The All-Star guard has been doing the heavy lifting for Philly, and if this young duo can hold things down while he rests, it could pay major dividends come spring.
“For sure!” McCain said with a grin.
“We can’t be having that. So when we come out, a lot of times it’s just like, let’s get Reese rest, man.
Even when we come to the bench, he goes straight to sit down - give him his time to breathe and rest. That’s definitely a responsibility me and VJ - all the guards - take on.
We gotta help him with that.”
The Sixers aren’t done experimenting. But if Tuesday night was any indication, they may have stumbled onto something worth building.