The Philadelphia 76ers may have ended their campaign in a humiliating way, but there is a lot to like about this team's immediate future. One big reason why is VJ Edgecombe, who turned in a splendid rookie campaign which culminated into an All-Rookie First Team berth. Having said that, the young guard actually gave the team a new problem, albeit of the desirable kind.
Next season, the 76ers will be rightfully expecting big things and a big leap from Edgecombe. However, given how star-studded and jampacked with talent the team is, there could be a conflict between the incoming sophomore and the other established players in the group from a basketball perspective. After all, there is only one ball to go around.
Edgecombe had an unusually heavy scoring burden right from the get go, and that only figures to get even more exacting for him as he matriculates into his role as a future cornerstone for the franchise. That, however, will entail less touches for players like Joel Embiid and Paul George. Even Tyrese Maxey, who turned in a career year this season, could see his shot volume get modulated.
The 76ers face a good problem thanks to VJ Edgecombe
Narratives around the league are, more often that not, heavily based on what can been on the surface. Hence, a dip in numbers will basically automate a negative response from the cityfolks. Now, that is where the "problem" lies.
Maxey will probably continue to get his numbers, but the same cannot be said for their aging stars in Embiid and George. The former remains a very dominant force when healthy and probably still carries a strong sense of gravitas to warrant his normal volume of touches. The same, however, cannot be said for George, who has already seen his shot diet plummet since leaving LA and joining Philly.
Really, though, that is a pure, first-world problem which every team would love to deal with. The 76ers have a unique mix of win-now veteran stars and promising up-and-comers, which is something other teams even struggle strongly committing to.
Edgecombe's development and growth in Year 2 will and should be the clear-cut plan for the franchise. Even if that means sacrificing the numbers of Embiid and George, they need to commit to the future even amid their desperate win-now mandate. And if all goes well –– as they appear they would be –– the 76ers will have created yet another superstar.
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