Can you believe that a team featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George is not even penciled in as a surefire playoff team? Well, that is actually how some people view the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the 2025-26 season, with a good number of pundits already cautioning against putting too much stock on this nucleus.
Expectations for the 76ers have gotten so modest that people are, in fact, overlooking the non-negotiable facts with this team. As the roster currently stands, Philly has one of the most loaded lineups in the league, at least from a raw talent standpoint. Likewise, the main reason as to why they ended up having the meager campaign they turned in last season is that the injury bug took on its most formidable form back then.
With the Eastern Conference being more forgiving this season and Joel Embiid looking like he will be ready to start the year, the stars are starting to align for the 76ers to get back to surefire playoff contention and then some.
But beyond those, the team actually boasts a huge wildcard that could flip the entire outlook of the East next season — one that could also elevate their ceiling as a collective not only in the upcoming season, but moving forward. Enter VJ Edgecombe.
VJ Edgecombe could take the 76ers to new heights moving forward
Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, looks to be one of the more NBA-ready prospects in his draft class. In fact, while his Summer League stint was shortlived, he instantly stood out among his peers and already seems poised to corral a major role in Year 1 despite the team’s loaded roster.
One analyst, Bill Simmons, believes that Edgecombe is a huge game-changer for the 76ers and that he could be the reason as to why the team can surprise a lot of people next season.
True enough, the 76ers are getting a near-complete package with Edgecombe. There are very few holes in his game, and his ability to impact the game on both ends in different facets without solely relying on his talent should excite a lot of people following the team.
If Edgecombe is as good as advertised, if not better, Philadelphia has a good chance at pulling the rug from some teams projected to finish above them in the standings. Heck, being the underdog is a bit of a novel proposition with this core, so the team will definitely not lack motivating factors to fare better.
All in all, underestimate the 76ers at your own peril.