The Philadelphia 76ers added Jaylen Brown in a shocking offseason trade that nobody predicted in the days leading up to it.
The Boston Celtics were expected to move on from Brown at some point, but sending him to the Sixers wasn't even discussed. When the 76ers' front office got the call to get off Paul George's contract with the addition of an MVP-caliber player in his prime, they couldn't even think twice about it.
With Brown in the building, he's on the books through 2029. There's no telling what will happen between now and then, but if the 76ers ever get the urge to shop Brown in the future, they might have to think twice, as VJ Edgecombe might be one of their most influential figures by then.
VJ Edgecombe might have the organization's ears
When a player gets the franchise player label, what they say matters. Joel Embiid might publicly defer all roster-building responsibility to the front office, but the veteran center knows that if he has an opinion, it will carry weight with Mike Gansey and Jameer Nelson.
After Tyrese Maxey signed his long-term extension with the team, he earned the same kind of power. It should only be a matter of time before Edgecombe reaches that status, seeing as though he's a homegrown piece who has the looks of a franchise leader.
And seeing the friendship between Edgecombe and Brown blossom quickly, it's becoming evident that the ex-Celtic might have a massive supporter within the group when it comes time for Brown to talk extensions with the 76ers.
“JB is one of my favorite people in the world," Edgecombe told reporters this week. "He’s a great person, someone that I talk to every day. He’s a leader, he’s just Jaylen Brown. He’s a great person and that’s someone that I just have a really good relationship with, even though we just met a few months ago.”
It's still early, but the 76ers clearly have to feel good about one of their new star acquisitions already developing strong chemistry with a young standout like Edgecombe. Of course, off the court is just half the battle.
Still days away from the start of the regular season, the Sixers are gearing up to move into the next phase of one of their most critical seasons to date. On paper, they are looking at plenty of years of Brown, Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid, but this year's results could have a major impact on the future of the squad.
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