Philadelphia 76ers fans have been praying for the coaching staff to give rookie VJ Edgecombe as many reps as he can when the games that actually matter finally start. Luckily for them, they might have just gotten their wish thanks to Nick Nurse.
As reported by PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck, the champion tactician bared that a three-guard setup in the starting lineup is currently in the cards for the coaching staff, which means that the 76ers could lean guard-heavy in their rotation to start the season off.
If so, that will play perfectly into what most people are clamoring for — for the coaching staff to hand a starting role to Edgecombe. The rookie has already started both of their initial preseason outings in Abu Dhabi against the Knicks, and at this rate, that will remain the status quo for this squad as they slowly approach the regular season.
As Neubeck pointed out, the 76ers are now likely to commit to the Tyrese Maxey-VJ Edgecombe tandem to grace their backcourt. There is room for another guard following that option, but the rookie should be here to stay since he is already a priority for the coaching staff — that appears to be the case at the very least.
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Of course, their size issues will be even more pronounced if they push through with a three-guard starting unit, but the 76ers seem to be big believers of what Edgecombe can do to bridge those positional gaps.
Edgecombe is indeed a workhorse on both ends, and even when latched onto big players, he does not give up as much resistance as players of his size typically do. He is also a good rebounder for his stature, making three-guard lineups featuring him more sensible than it would be for other squads.
The backcourt is definitely a strength for this 76ers squad, and that is the case even with Jared McCain still sidelined due to his untimely thumb injury. Maxey will be Maxey, and Quentin Grimes should still be a vital key player who can shoulder the scoring load in spurts while also being a potent off-ball threat.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but the 76ers appear to have already kept Edgecombe heavily in their minds when it comes to finding the right mix of players. That is very good news for the team and for him individually, as the coaching staff has now become committed to accelerating his growth as a future star.