The Philadelphia 76ers easily had the flashiest offseason of any team this summer. They reeled in some pretty heady free agents, somehow pulled off a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown, and won the LeBron James sweepstakes. That being said, major sacrifices will have to be made for this loaded team, and at this juncture, it is easy to pinpoint which player could be forced to make those: VJ Edgecombe.
On paper, the incoming sophomore will be the fifth option in the team's new star-studded opening group consisting of him, James, Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. He is the least accomplished player in that quintet, and it only makes sense for his more established teammates to get a bigger piece of the pie, especially on the offensive end.
VJ Edgecombe could be a casualty of the 76ers' blockbuster offseason
This is certainly the pessimistic view, but having to take on a more minor role on the offensive end could end up stunting his growth as a scorer. Scoring is his bread and butter, and getting fewer touches could prevent him from getting enough reps to flourish as a force on offense. His margin of error will be slim given that the 76ers could simply funnel the scoring through their other stars anyway.
Before the offseason began, Edgecombe was already pegged as the next 76ers great. He was already one of the best and most advanced rookies from last season, and his scoring was only going to get better. However, suffice it to say that his expected level of progress on that end may have to wait a little bit more as the team accommodates Brown and James in addition to their resident duo in Embiid and Maxey.
Nick Nurse will have to stagger Edgecombe's minutes so that he can play with the bench players more, although the second unit touts ball-dominant players who are scorers by nature in Anfernee Simons and Labaron Philon Jr. Simply put, the prudent expectation is that the sophomore will see his offensive load take a step back.
On the flip side, this could end up being a good thing for Edgecombe individually. He will be forced to find other ways where he can impact the game. His defense was already good last season, and he will need to further accelerate his growth as a stopper. His playmaking and off-ball utility should be on the rise.
Needless to say, VJ Edgecombe will remain a pivotal part of the 76ers' title bid in the upcoming season. Hopefully, a less prominent role will keep him happy enough for him to willingly make the sacrifice as a high-octane scorer.
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