VJ Edgecombe Addresses 76ers' Expectations After Arrival of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown

The desire to win a championship is infectious. The Philadelphia 76ers are talked about as one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship next season. 

VJ Edgecombe has felt the pressure with the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James and understands what that means. 

"It’s championship or bust. You know how it is; with a team like this, it’s either a championship or they suck." Edgecombe said in an interview with ESPN.

While it’s pretty harsh, it’s the truth. Realistically any team that has James is thrust into the “boom or bust” narrative. The media and fans all around consider this the only option for the team. You don’t make the offseason additions of Brown and James if it's not about winning a title. 

It may be considered unnecessary pressure, but that’s what comes with being in the NBA. You can’t consider it a successful season if you finish the season without an NBA title. There are plenty of players who look at individual stats and consider their improvement as a job well done. 

This team has a different goal. A collective goal to finally win. They’re tired of the disappointing seasons and feeling that they let another year slip through their hands. That’s why management made so many changes. Not just to the roster, but to the front office as well. Firing former President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and Elton Brand stepping down showed the team wanted more than what was being produced. 

If the team can’t get it done this year, it’s going to be a monumental disservice for everyone involved. If they don’t win, their only saving grace is that James would be inclined to come back for another year. It would also deal a huge blow to his legacy if he can’t get it done. 

The other domino that could fall is what are their options with the roster. It could lead to the dismissal of one of the longest tenured 76ers, Joel Embiid.  If Embiid has little to no impact on the season, it’s no question that this’ll be his last year, and the team will look to move on from the star center. 

This could free up some cap space and allow the team to look for other options to get that elusive Larry O'Brien trophy. 

Of course all of this is hypothetical, and it may not come to fruition. The one thing we do know is the team is under a huge microscope and will be criticized every step of the way.