ESPN’s latest Top 100 list has already put a number on VJ Edgecombe’s next chapter, and it comes sooner than the 76ers would probably like.
Edgecombe landed at No. 72, and what stands out isn’t just the placement. It’s the company. The 76ers rookie is one of the few guards clustered near him who is still playing on a rookie deal, which is a pretty clear sign that he’s already being viewed around the league as an emerging star after just one season in Philadelphia.
That’s the kind of ranking that doesn’t force the Sixers to act right away, but it does put the front office on the clock in a broader sense. Philadelphia can wait for now, yet the math around Edgecombe’s future payday is already starting to take shape.
The names around him help tell the story. Ahead of Edgecombe is Tyler Herro, who is entering the final season of a four-year deal and will collect the last $33.0 million of his four-year, $120 million contract. Herro signed that deal at age 24, and at 26 now, he could be headed for another big payday depending on how this season unfolds.
Then there’s Payton Pritchard, a player the 76ers know well. Boston has Pritchard on a four-year, $30 million deal, a much smaller number than Herro’s and the kind of contract that reflects a reliable role player rather than a star. For Philadelphia, matching Edgecombe to something like that would take either a miracle or a rough two-year stretch.
The clearest benchmark may be Keyonte George, who sits at No. 68.
George is 22 and beginning a five-year extension worth $155 million. He’s already played three seasons and is coming off a year in which he averaged 23.6 points per game, making him exactly the sort of investment a rebuilding team has to commit to.
Edgecombe, meanwhile, is currently on a $50 million deal with the 76ers. Philadelphia has to make a decision on his first team option for next season, which is set at $12.2 million, on or before Halloween this year. After that, the real conversation begins about when the organization should make the larger move.
And the timing matters. Next year, the Sixers will already have Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown making over $60 million in salary, with Tyrese Maxey pulling in more than $40 million. If Edgecombe’s sophomore season goes the right way, he could be joining that expensive core sooner than expected.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse Sees A Sixers Ceiling That Could Change Everything
Nick Nurse is already looking past the usual training-camp language and into what the 76ers can become if their new roster pieces hold up on the defensive end. Philadelphia expects to play with more depth, size and athleticism this season, and Nurse said that should allow the team to get more creative on that side of the ball while still keeping the focus on fundamentals first.
The bigger idea for the Sixers is to turn defense into offense, using turnovers to fuel transition chances and make the group harder to guard in the open floor. If that approach takes root, it could change the way Philadelphia plays night to night and give Nurse more ways to stress opponents, but the real test will come once the team starts layering in the more varied schemes it wants to use. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Camp Injury Trouble Is Putting Their Center Depth To The Test
Training camp injuries are already forcing the Sixers to keep a close eye on their center depth, with Tacko Fall diagnosed with a left hip strain and Adem Bona working back from a sprained foot. For a team trying to sort out its rotation before the games start counting, even minor health issues can complicate the picture, especially when the big men behind the main options are trying to stay on the floor and earn their place.
Around the league, the early-October injury churn has touched several other teams too, from Miami guard Dru Smiths calf strain to updates on Anthony Black, Noah Penda, DeAnthony Melton and Jakob Poeltl. For Philadelphia, though, the focus stays on its frontcourt availability and how quickly the group can get healthy enough to avoid turning a depth question into an early-season problem. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Overhaul Still Leaves One Big Question About Their New Rotation
The Sixers have spent the offseason reshaping both ends of the roster, stacking star power while also trying to make the bench less of a weak spot. Anfernee Simons is in on a two-year deal, Dean Wade arrives on a four-year contract, and the front office has clearly tried to give the group more balance around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the core.
Even with that overhaul, the biggest issue may be how all of those pieces fit once the games start and the rotation has to settle. Embiid and LeBron James are both in the mix for load management plans, which only adds another layer to the equation, while Maxey has been framed as someone focused on team success over individual recognition. The talent is there, but the Sixers still have some sorting out to do before the new look feels complete. [Read more 🡒]