Life in the NBA can change in a flick, and the Philadelphia 76ers probably know that best. Just a few weeks ago, they seemed destined to be stuck in the middle. All of a sudden, they might just have the makings of what could be a bona fide title contender in the league not only now, but also in the immediate future.
With the 76ers finally close to running at full strength, people finally got a glimpse of what they are capable of. They just beat the definitive favorites to come out of the East on the road, and to make things sweeter, they have already unearthed a very encouraging strength of theirs — having established stars who are willing to let go of the reins to let a young talent like VJ Edgecombe shine.
Tyrese Maxey is the present and future of the 76ers — there is no arguing that. But people probably did not foresee Joel Embiid and Paul George emerging as elite complementary pieces who would be conducive to taking a backseat, especially to a rookie. Yet here they are, slowly getting all the momentum they need to launch themselves in title discussions.
76ers take a step forward with their older stars allowing VJ Edgecombe to shine
It is difficult to envision Embiid and George living up to their mammoth contracts anytime soon, but with the 76ers appearing to be handcuffed into riding those tenured stars, they have to step up for the team. Fortunately, the team has gotten an even sweeter deal as both stars have decided to take the most mature route within the operative context of an ongoing power shift.
Edgecombe is already a star in his freshman campaign. Ordinarily, someone like that would get watered down gradually when established veterans assert their gravitas. However, that has not been the case at all. Philly’s past, present, and future are co-existing beautifully, and this strongly augments their collective ceiling moving forward.
Contention may still be a dubious proposition for this 76ers squad this season, but as Embiid and George slowly settle into and dominate in their new, streamlined roles, the team basically gets to kill two birds with one stone. Not only are they able to optimize their aging bodies and preserve them for later, but they also bolster the development of a future franchise cornerstone.
There is very little doubt that the Philadelphia 76ers will remain on everybody’s watch list moving forward. VJ Edgecombe is a budding perennial All-Star, but more importantly, both Joel Embiid and Paul George are stepping up by taking a step back in the best way possible.