Aggressive, talented, athletic -- all words that have been used to describe the sensational rookie VJ Edgecombe during the scintillating start he has made to his NBA career. Naturally, after starting in such phenomenal fashion, the young guard's production has taken a concerning dip in recent games after racking up an eyebrow-raising amount of minutes on court. The main concern for the Philadelphia 76ers? There is currently no feasible answer to this heavy workload.
Head coach Nick Nurse has made no secret of his admiration for Edgecombe after making the difficult transition from the NCAA to the NBA look seamless. However, these electric performances may have applied unneeded pressure to a player who should be allowed time to become accustomed to a league with an unforgiving schedule.
Both Edgecombe (37.3) and Tyrese Maxey (40.5) have recorded a concerning number of minutes per game, which highlights an issue that will undoubtedly hinder the Sixers' championship ambitions in the long term.
Injury issues are already taking their toll
On paper, Philadelphia possesses one of the deepest backcourts in the entire NBA. In reality, this statement is backed up with statistics that prove this to be the case, as Edgecombe (15.4), Maxey (32.1), and Quentin Grimes (17.3) are all contributing heavily in points per game.
Yet, the manner in which the 76ers are utilising three-guard lineups is preventing each player from getting a sufficient period of rest. Common sense would suggest that Jared McCain will be the fourth player in this rotation when he is fully recuperated from his torn left knee meniscus and torn right thumb UCL injuries. But for now, that seems like a distant dream as he only featured for around seven minutes during Philadelphia's 100-102 triumph over the Boston Celtics.
Just to add insult to injury, veteran wing Paul George has yet to have a return date confirmed after he underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery in the offseason. George would provide an effective two-way option in the forward positions, freeing up Kelly Oubre Jr. to occupy minutes in the backcourt.
One thing is for sure: Edgecombe will continue to play with the same energy and hustle that he has exhibited throughout his budding professional career, no matter what level of fatigue his body is suffering from. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old's impressive attitude can only carry him so far, and his efficiency levels are a clear representation of that.
Over his last three games, Edgecombe has only managed to sink 10 of his 35 field-goal attempts. In addition, he has accumulated seven turnovers in this time.
The talent level of VJ Edgecombe is evident for the Philadelphia 76ers' fan base to see, and this dip in form on the offensive end of the court should be a brief moment in time. The real problem that the Sixers have is the injury curse that continues to plague their ability to rotate players during matchups. It is a long, tedious regular season; Philadelphia may come to suffer the consequences of this somewhere down the line.