Tyrese Maxey isn’t treating VJ Edgecombe like a player who has to fade into the background just because the 76ers have loaded up around him.
In fact, Maxey sees the opposite. According to PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck, Maxey recently said Edgecombe is the most important player on the 76ers this season. The All-NBA guard pointed to Edgecombe’s energy and skill as traits that will matter even more with so many high-volume stars around him.
That’s a pretty strong endorsement for an incoming sophomore, especially with four All-NBA players now set to share the floor with him instead of just a couple. A lot of people have assumed that means Edgecombe’s role will shrink.
He may not disappear, though. He could still wind up being a major part of how this team works.
The bigger question is how his game fits alongside all that star power. Last season, Edgecombe was good enough to handle a heavy scoring load next to decorated teammates.
This time, the volume probably won’t be there in the same way. But that doesn’t automatically mean less impact.
If anything, the new setup could make his job cleaner. Defenses are going to be busy trying to contain the more decorated names on the roster, and that should open up room for Edgecombe to do damage when opponents lose track of him. He’ll need to make teams pay when they give him space.
That puts a spotlight on the parts of his game that don’t always show up first in a box score. His off-ball value, his connective passing, and his three-point shooting are all going to matter. He already showed enough of that last season, and his offseason run with his national team gave more reason to believe he can take another step in those areas.
Then there’s the defense, which may be where the 76ers lean on him most. Edgecombe showed real defensive awareness last season, and that’s going to be needed again. More often than not, he should be the one taking on the toughest backcourt assignment on the other side.
So when Maxey calls Edgecombe the most important player on the team, it doesn’t sound like a hot take for the sake of one. It sounds like a read on how this roster is built. Edgecombe will be the one filling in the gaps while also trying to keep his own development moving forward.
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76ers Just Added A Bench Threat Rivals Wont Enjoy Facing
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For a roster that has been looking to sharpen its depth, Simons brings a different kind of pressure for opponents to manage. A bench scorer of his caliber can change the rhythm of a game, and the 76ers are clearly betting that his shot-making will make their reserve group a lot tougher to sit through. [Read more 🡒]
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For Hukporti, this could be the kind of opening that changes the conversation around his career. He did not have much room to carve out steady minutes with the Knicks, but Philadelphia may offer a clearer path if he can hold his own in camp. If he turns that opportunity into real rotation value, it would give the 76ers an early payoff for making the move in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
LeBrons Surprise 76ers Jersey Choice Had A Meaning Lakers Fans Know
LeBron James made a small but notable statement during the 76ers annual intersquad scrimmage, showing up in Philadelphia blue with No. 9 on his back rather than one of the numbers most fans normally associate with him. The choice stood out immediately in a setting that is usually more about familiar faces and routine summer work, and it gave the event a little extra buzz for a fan base that knows how closely jersey numbers can carry meaning.
James has long treated his number selection as part personal preference, part tribute, and this one fit that pattern. In Philadelphia, No. 9 offered a nod to Julius Erving, whose No. 6 is retired, while also connecting to his son Bronny James. For Lakers fans, it was the latest reminder that James can turn something as simple as a jersey into a signal, even in an unofficial setting where the details often matter more than the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]