The Philadelphia 76ers have a litany of questions awaiting them ahead of the 2025-26 season, but one that is somehow getting overlooked is the role of Jared McCain in the upcoming campaign. After seeing his otherwise impressive freshman season get cut short due to an untimely injury, the sophomore will be hungry for more and eager to prove himself to everybody.
For now, he is probably the safest bet to start at shooting guard next to Tyrese Maxey. After all, he is a very lethal threat with or without the ball, and already has a year playing for Nick Nurse under his belt. Defensively, he is also no slouch.
As long as his body can take it, McCain could very well average 15 to 17 points per game, even though he will be third to fourth in the pecking order given the projected starting lineup which will also feature Joel Embiid and Paul George. He is just that good, especially when it comes to navigating the defense and finding open spots to punish unwitting defenders.
However, if the team wants to maximize their future while also striking a balance to bolster their chances to win now, they should not have McCain starting games next season.
The 76ers should start VJ Edgecombe over Jared McCain next season
Instead, the 76ers coaching staff should seriously contemplate starting VJ Edgecombe instead. The third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft may be more unproven than McCain, but he will give the opening group a much better balance on both ends.
Edgecombe is a dynamic three-level scorer who can supply whatever McCain produces on the scoring end just as well, if not better. But beyond that, there are reasons for Philadelphia to like the idea of having him complement Maxey in the back court while allowing McCain to take the reigns off the bench, which is also perfect given that the 76ers have a putrid bench squad.
This might be a bit bold for a player who has yet to sniff an actual NBA game, but Edgecombe offers more ceiling defensively than McCain. He packs more size and athleticism, allowing him to cover more ground on defense.
Also, it would be for the best to give Edgecombe consistent run against opposing starting units right off the bat. That way, he can learn how to have a prominent role while also experiencing the perks of taking a backseat, such as finding a way to have better utility in an off-ball role.
While this may anger some fans, the Philadelphia 76ers will be better off starting VJ Edgecombe over Jared McCain next season, no matter how premature that sounds at this juncture.