When news broke that the Milwaukee Bucks were taking calls on Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline, fans openly wondered if the Philadelphia 76ers could make a move on the former MVP using VJ Edgecombe as the centerpiece of the deal.
While some, like ESPN's Bobby Marks, believe a deal centered around Edgecombe could be very attractive to the Bucks, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY's sources, that's unlikely to happen, as Daryl Morey and company view the third overall pick out of Baylor as a foundational player who should be a “Sixer for life.”
“If you think that Giannis is on the trade block and there is not going to be a call between the Sixers and Bucks at some point between now and the trade deadline on Thursday, I don't think you've been paying much attention. I think that they are interested,” Neubeck said during an appearance on The Kevin O'Connor Show
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“Anytime a player like Giannis is on the market, Daryl Morey is a guy who wants stars. He cares about stars. But I do believe when you hit to the degree they did on VJ, what VJ is doing is being productive and actively driving winning. Every single night, his role changes. One night, he's got to score 20. One night, he's got to guard Jalen Brunson and maybe take five shots the whole game. He's a foundational building block in Philadelphia. And I would be stunned if he goes anywhere in the short to medium term. They want him to be a Sixer for life.”
Now granted, as O'Connor noted, trading for a proven player like Antetokounmpo, who has a list of accolades a mile long, is a hard deal to pass up, as there's no guarantee Edgecombe ever becomes an All-NBA player, let alone an MVP. And yet, after watching Edgecombe make incredible plays at both ends of the court for the 76ers, why would Philadelphia want another team to roll the dice on his upside? If the Bucks are eager to land Edgecombe, it's because he's already really good and has the potential to be the best player in the trade a few years down the line when Antetokounmpo is out of his prime.