In his sophomore season, Tyrese Maxey was making his case for being a rising star in the NBA. When the Philadelphia 76ers traded for James Harden, Maxey had to understand that would cut into his usage and offense. There was no complaining or crying about touches. The 76ers guard accepted the new reality, learned what he could from Harden, and blossomed into a star thereafter.
That is the blueprint for how the ascending VJ Edgecombe should be handling the summer of 2026. Edgecombe was already set for a role reduction when the 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown. Now, the young Sixers wing has to deal with the arrival of LeBron James, too.
Draymond Green said on his show: "When you look at the biggest losers in this situation, it's arguably VJ Edgecombe. ... You go from being sometimes the second option when [Joel] Embiid was out to sometimes being the fifth option. It's a big, big, big difference.
Green expressed concerns with this new setup not giving Edgecombe his needed opportunity to blossom into an All-Star. It is hard to truly get behind that idea. There are few better players, if any, to learn from than LeBron when it comes to being a star in this league. Maxey soaked up what he could from Harden and became what he is today. Edgecombe can do the same with James.
LeBron James can help mold VJ Edgecombe the way James Harden aided Tyrese Maxey
There is more overlap between the skill sets of Harden and Maxey than there is James and Edgecombe. However, that does not mean the young Sixers guard has nothing to learn from an all-time great like LeBron.
To Green's concerns about the delay in Edgecombe's development, the young guard is still just 20 years old, set to turn 21 in a couple of days. There is plenty of time for him to assume a starring role for the 76ers.
In the meantime, Edgecombe gets to benefit from the tutelage of a player who has done just about anything there is to do in the NBA. There is a ton of value to be found in that type of mentorship.
VJ Edgecombe just did the LeBron meme 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ROWjxDCmkh
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 24, 2026
Edgecombe certainly did not come across as someone upset with the new addition when he recreated the famous LeBron meme of smiling through it all. Whatever concerns Green has do not outwardly appear to be shared by the young 76er.
Why would they be?
James is set to turn 42 years old in December. His time in the NBA has a ticking clock that is visible to all. LeBron signed a two-year deal in Philadelphia after all. It is difficult to imagine the new 76ers forward being a long-term problem in relation to offensive touches.
Moreover, James choosing the 76ers allows him to step into a role where he can take a back seat as a scorer. Minimizing Edgecombe's future during the coming LeBron era to that of a fifth option is an oversimplification of the situation in Philadelphia.
Edgecombe has an opportunity to learn from the greatest player to ever step on an NBA court. If VJ can maximize his window together with LeBron, the results of that mentorship should be fantastic when the time for a bigger offensive role arrives in the not-too-distant future.
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