After upsetting the Boston Celtics in the first round and then promptly getting swept by the Knicks in round two, big moves were not really expected for the Philadelphia 76ers this summer.
Instead, they shocked the entire NBA world when they traded Paul George and draft capital to Boston for All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown. The fact that this move happened just months after the Sixers defeated the Celtics and the season Brown just had was a shock.
Brown was in trade rumors for the summer, and even after Boston’s failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, they did not stop shopping the forward. That allowed for Philly to swoop in. The big time acquisition definitely puts the spotlight on the Sixers in the East, but there is one key storyline that hasn’t gotten a ton of attention.
The Jaylen Brown blockbuster is bad news for young star V.J. Edgecombe
Edgecombe showed last year that he is one of the best rookies in the league and that he has superstar potential once he develops. He also had a very solid playoff showing, especially given the amount of responsibility he had as a scorer and defender.
Now with Brown in the fold, that means there is another ball-dominant player that is taking valuable on-ball reps away from Edgecombe. Along with Tyrese Maxey, Brown had one of the highest usage percentages in the league last season. Add Joel Embiid to the equation and Philly has three guys in the near 30s in terms of usage percentage.
Neither of those guys are plus playmakers as well, and in the case of Brown, he is very turnover prone and resorts to tough shot-making a lot of the time. This is not good for Edgecombe, who needs those reps to hit his ceiling and develop.
Edgecombe showed last year that he is ready for a bigger offensive role, and the raw athleticism and slashing ability he has is reminiscent of a young Anthony Edwards or young Dwyane Wade. The faster he hits that ceiling, the better off the Sixers are. He is the key to their title hopes and yes, Brown is a great player and an upgrade from George, but does he help the development of Edgecombe? Based on what we know about Brown, the answer is likely no.
Time will tell if Philly is able to make this work, but they cannot forget about their young guard with this move. He needs to keep getting better and it will be on head coach Nick Nurse to find ways to maximize Edgecombe.
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