The Philadelphia 76ers’ entire starting five was inserted into ESPN’s Top 100 players list before training camp begins for the 2026-2027 NBA season. Yes, that’s including VJ Edgecombe, who ended up No. 72 on the list.
Looking at the names around Edgecombe, it’s interesting to see that he’s one of the only guards within close rank who is still on his rookie deal. After playing just one season with the Sixers, Edgecombe is already proving to a panel of NBA insiders that he’s an emerging star.
The 76ers don’t have to rush to pay Edgecombe yet, but their front office is likely still thinking ahead and trying to figure out how much they’ll inevitably have to fork over in order to keep Edgecombe with the organization for a long time.
The contracts within Edgecombe’s rank
The next guard on the list ahead of Edgecombe is the former Miami Heat guard, Tyler Herro. The Milwaukee Bucks guard is heading into the final season of his four-year deal. At 26 years old, Herro could be in line for another notable payday, depending on how his season plays out.
But before reaching free agency, Herro will collect the final $33.0 million of his four-year, $120 million deal. He signed the deal, and it began during his age-24 season.
The next player is slightly older, and another one the 76ers know well: Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics. Compared to Herro, consider this one a major discount. The Celtics currently have Pritchard on the books for $30 million over four years. Unlike Herro, who has an All-Star nod, Pritchard is a sure role player for Boston. The Sixers would need a miracle or a disappointing two-year run to retain Edgecombe on a deal like that.
The final—and likely most realistic example for Edgecombe in this case—is Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George. Ranked No. 68 on the list, George is 22 and firing up a five-year extension, worth $155 million. With three years under his belt and coming off a season where he averaged 23.6 points per game, George is a major investment for the rebuilding Jazz.
For the time being, Edgecombe is sitting on a $50 million deal with the 76ers. They’ll have to decide on his first team option for next season (set at $12.2 million) on or before Halloween this year. Beyond that, they’ll start thinking about when is the time to make the big offer.
Next year, the Sixers are going to have two players making over $60 million in salary in Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown, with Tyrese Maxey collecting over $40 million. Depending on how Edgecombe’s sophomore effort plays out, he could be on the books with a major deal soon enough.
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