The Philadelphia 76ers got rave reviews after drafting VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and not letting their emotions get the best of them. To the surprise of many, it was largely an anticlimactic night for Daryl Morey and company, with the franchise not veering away from the simplest, yet most sensible route to take.
Having said that, the inarguably truth of the team’s current configuration after bringing Edgecombe into the fold is that the coaching staff will have to get really creative so as to allow their litany of talented guards to exhibit their capabilities without getting hindered by potential skill set overlaps. Put simply, the 76ers will have to make do with their sudden logjam at the guard position.
In fact, with Philly now loaded in the backcourt, there is bound to be an odd man out. That is definitely not Edgecombe, or Tyrese Maxey, or Jared McCain. Nor will it be Quentin Grimes, who remains a strong priority for the front office despite drafting Edgecombe. If we were to bet, that would most probably be Jared Butler.
Jared Butler will most likely be gone as the 76ers pivot to VJ Edgecombe
The 76ers hold a team option for next season on Butler’s two-year deal, which he signed shortly after landing in Philly and impressing enough to have his contract converted from a two-way one to a standard deal.
However, there is really not a pressing need for his services anymore. Butler profiles as a project piece for the 76ers, and given their latest move, he will be a third-stringer at most.
Unfortunately for him, the 76ers need to exhaust all of their options to free up as much cap space as possible to facilitate possible re-uppings with vital free agents, such as Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele. Furthermore, Philly has a much more pressing need elsewhere than preserving a roster spot for a marginal role player operating as a rotation filler.
Butler showed glimpses of stability late in the season as a playmaker, but it is difficult to put much stock into that stretch given his bloated playing time and usage against waning competition.
Jared Butler cannot be blamed for this, but the Philadelphia 76ers suddenly have too many mouths to feed in the backcourt. And truthfully speaking, the team simply needs reinforcements elsewhere, which could come at the expense of his roster spot.