After plenty of pre-draft rumors about the 76ers trading away their No. 3 overall selection, they instead decided to keep the pick, using it to take V.J. Edgecombe.
Following a disastrous 2024-25 campaign that saw Joel Embiid play just 19 games and free-agent addition Paul George play 41 games due to injuries, Philadelphia remains a win-now team that is gearing up to try and bounce back in 2025-26. In Daryl Morey and company's first-round selection, they'll be adding a player in Edgecombe that they believe can contribute to potential playoff basketball by 2026 while also developing into a centerpiece for the future.
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With Edgecombe, who will be 20 years old by the time the new season begins, the 76ers will be getting an athletic guard from Baylor who contributed a little bit of everything in his freshman season, especially on the defensive side.
How will Edgecombe fit with Philadelphia for 2025-26, but also the long-term? Here's a breakdown of the 76ers' roster for next season with their new NBA Draft addition.
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76ers 2025-26 roster with V.J. Edgecombe
Here's a look at Philadelphia's potential roster next season with Edgecombe. All of the players below are under contract for the 2025-26 season.
In the approaching offseason cycle, the 76ers' unrestricted free agents also include Guerschon Yabusele and Kyle Lowry, while Quentin Grimes is a restricted free agent. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon each have player options, while Lonnie Walker IV, Jared Butler and Justin Edwards each have team options. While any of those nine players could wind up returning to the team, they are not included below.
| Player | Position | Height | Age | 2024-25 PPG |
| Joel Embiid | C | 7-0 | 31 | 23.8 |
| Tyrese Maxey | PG | 6-2 | 24 | 26.3 |
| Paul George | SG | 6-8 | 35 | 16.2 |
| Jared McCain | SG | 6-3 | 21 | 15.3 |
| Ricky Council IV | G/F | 6-6 | 23 | 7.3 |
| Adem Bona | C | 6-10 | 22 | 5.8 |
| V.J. Edgecombe | G | 6-4 | 19 | — |
| Alex Reese | F | 6-9 | 26 | 5.3 |
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76ers projected starting five
Here's how Philadelphia's starting unit could look with Edgecombe in the fold, assuming Embiid and George will be good to go for the start of the 2025-26 season.
- G Tyrese Maxey
- G V.J. Edgecombe
- F Paul George
- F Ricky Council IV
- C Joel Embiid
If any one of Yabusele, Grimes or Oubre are retained in free agency, which has a good chance of happening, they could also take Council's projected starting forward spot.
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What V.J. Edgecombe brings to the 76ers' lineup
By adding Edgecombe, the 76ers simultaneously get a guard whose skillset meshes well with Tyrese Maxey's for the upcoming season, but also someone who could grow into more of an all-around star as George and Embiid enter the late stages of their careers.
Edgecombe was a terrific defender in his lone season at Baylor, displaying a ton of natural instincts on that side of the ball alongside his unique explosiveness. At worst, Edgecombe will give Philadelphia a go-to perimeter defender from its guard rotation — something it didn't have last season. While Maxey has become one of the NBA's best shot creators, his size has always limited him as a defender. The same can be said of Jared McCain, so Edgecombe will help mask that.
At the same time, Maxey, George and Embiid should also help cover one of the areas of Edgecombe's game that will need development: his ball handling. While Edgecombe can certainly get downhill, he wasn't particularly known as an off-the-dribble creator at Baylor, with his offensive strengths more focused on finishing, catch-and-shoot looks and transition buckets. As he joins a team with plenty of proven scorers and shot-creators, Edgecombe won't have to create much offense for Philadelphia as he's able to play more to his athletic strengths.
For the 2025-26 season, expect Edgecombe to serve as a defense-first piece in the 76ers' backcourt with solid intangibles who can also use his size and athleticism at the rim and knock down some threes.
Morey said Wednesday that he thinks the 76ers will "have one of the best backcourts in the league" with Edgecombe in the fold, calling him a "dynamic athlete, potential All-Star" and two-way player that has "winning qualities," per Adam Aaronson.
V.J. Edgecombe Baylor stats
Here's a look at Edgecombe's numbers over his one season at Baylor.
| Games | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 33 | 32.7 | 15.0 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 43.6% | 34.0% | 78.2% |
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