VJ Edgecombe was thrown into fire during his first NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers, and is subject to immediate pressure to function.
On paper, the Philadelphia 76ers should be the only title favorite. There are three elite players between Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. He also supports Jared McCain’s Person of the Year and decent depth.
But George and Embiid are not expected to start their best season, if any. Also, his own elite talent, rookie VJ Edge.com is expected to play a major role soon.
When the postseason comes, the role should change. At the very least, fans should hope that it will be.
Maxey, McCain and Edgecombe are expected to be the three best players to open the season for the Sixers.
George has just had arthroscopic surgery and Embiid’s injury record doesn’t exactly stimulate confidence, so three young guards rely on setting the tone early and lay out the rest of the season.
“Embiid knows he’s not right at the beginning of the season, but now he knows that Paul George is not right at the beginning of the season,” said ESPN’s Brian Windholst.
Edgecombe already stands out in the summer league and is expected to be one of the best rookies in his class, so he will soon be third overall and play a major role.
“So what you’re hoping is that at VJ Edgecombe, some of the other young players who suffered injuries last year, have come back and get an injection of this major talent,” Windhorst continued.
“They’ll be able to at least become a top six team.”
If the Sixers are able to miss the Play-in Tournament, they are set to go to a deep playoff run and the rookies can take a step back.
The Eastern Conference was weaker than ever, and if the 76ers could make the playoffs perfectly with healthy Embiid, George, Maxie, McCain, Edchombe, Kelly Aubre Jr., Kyle Lowry and Quenting Ryme, they could very well rival those great Eastern teams like the Knicks and Caicaria.
Just as the LA Clippers weren’t suited to Kawi Leonard until January, the Six has been able to use the same approach as the injured duo often, but by the time the postseason rolls, they’re healthy and active.
As a result, you will find Edgecombe is reducing the role behind more established and better (for now) veterans.
“What you’re hoping is that by the end of the season, people will get through the issues and have been out of limits with various surgeries,” Windhorst added.
“And they can become top-level teams, but all of this is hope, assumptions and predictions.”
If the Sixers can enjoy a healthy postseason, they should be a favorite for almost every team in the East, not just for the East, but for almost every team in the entire league, but that’s a lot that falls on Embiid’s often vulnerable shoulders.