All things considered, the Philadelphia 76ers are in great shape. While still playing without Joel Embiid at this juncture in the playoffs, they have found a way to knot their ongoing first round series against the Boston Celtics. One player whom they should be thankful for in that regard is VJ Edgecombe, who has been absolutely phenomenal in his first foray into the postseason.
Edgecombe broke out in Game 2 against the Celtics, turning in 30 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals to lead the 76ers to an upset victory. The rookie has certainly turned a lot of heads this season, and his rapid development is bound to make the 76ers front office change the way they build the roster moving forward.
With Daryl Morey at the helm, the 76ers have predominantly been littered with veterans and win-now pieces on the roster. But with a rookie like Edgecombe in the fold, the team might have no other choice but to start actively hunting players who can grow with him. Put simply, the franchise has to seriously consider going younger across the board.
VJ Edgecombe is forcing the 76ers to make a drastic shift in philosophy
The 76ers still have Joel Embiid and Paul George leading their wide pool of veterans, but to be fair, the team never really anticipated being in the position to draft someone like Edgecombe in the first place when they secured those stars through hefty contracts.
Be that as it may, the front office can no longer keep being content with having one of the older groups in the NBA almost on an annual basis. To build a sustainable winning team, the 76ers have to do whatever it takes to surround Edgecombe (and Tyrese Maxey) with players who are on the same timeline.
The 76ers will have a first-round pick in the incoming 2026 NBA Draft, which is widely reckoned to feature one of the deepest and most talented batches ever. Hence, the front office will have the perfect opportunity to solidify their footing as being deliberate about building a lasting winner in Philly.
VJ Edgecombe has been fantastic for the 76ers all season long, but the team's brain trust should likewise reward him for being phenomenal by actually putting him in the forefront of their collective plans moving forward, especially with regard to building the roster around him. Otherwise, this team will keep being caged in a state of constant flux.
Add us as a preferred source on Google