V.J. Edgecombe could find himself playing in a reduced role next season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the new-look lineup for the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s easy for some players to get lost with all the stars.
76ers second-year player V.J. Edgecombe could be a victim of these unfortunate circumstances. It’s easy to see his usage rate drop with each player having to get a certain amount of touches on a nightly basis.
Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green feels this could be a detriment to his growth as a player.
Green feels that this could impact not only Edgecombe’s performance but also his financial situation as well. Green added to the theory by stating it’s hard to go from being a possible No. 2 option to the No. 5 option. While he speaks some truth, it may not be as bad as he thinks.
Edgecombe is only in year two, and he's still learning the ways of the NBA. It could also benefit teaming up with the likes of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. As far as the financial side of it goes, it’s not like he’ll be stuck as the fifth option for long, as James is on a two-year deal at best.
Plus, being a lesser option isn’t always a bad thing. Look at Jrue Holiday. He isn’t anyone’s first, second, or third option, and he still manages to find himself in pivotal moments in a game.
If Edgecombe can maintain his level of success, he should have nothing to worry about. Edgecombe averaged 16 points in his rookie campaign. With everything around him, his point total could actually increase as defenses are forced to worry about everyone else around him.
What could also come to fruition is his role when added into the second unit for certain stretches. That could be the thing that makes him stand out in the crowd. Edgecombe can certainly be a threat offensively if teams aren’t worried about what he can do with the ball in his hands.
If James is going to be the one orchestrating the offense, there’s no way he’s going to forget about the young guy who can move off-ball, whether it’s in a set offense or in transition. So how bad could being the fifth option really be?
All in all, Green’s concerns about the youngster are understandable, but if being the fifth option on a team with James, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown is a bad thing, then maybe we have very different ideas on what the word “bad” truly means.
