It feels like just yesterday Sixers fans were in ferocious debates over who the team should select No. 3 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. The team ultimately took VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor.
There was also a sector of the fan base who contemplated what the Sixers could get in a Tyrese Maxey trade after the Orlando Magic paid a draft pick ransom to the Memphis Grizzlies for Desmond Bane.
Fast forward to the end of the 2025-26 season and it’s hard to imagine where the Sixers would be without the VJ-Maxx
backcourt in the fold. Despite a second-round sweep by the New York Knicks and complete chaos surrounding the franchise, Maxey and Edgecombe represent a fleeting feeling amongst fans — hope.
The Sixers are locked in with max contracts for Paul George and Joel Embiid. The likelihood of either being moved this summer seems low. Daryl Morey is out, with his successor has yet to be named. Nick Nurse’s seat probably isn’t the coldest. There’s plenty of uncertainty and dismay over where the organization goes from here.
But none of those questions revolve around the future of the Maxey-Edgecombe backcourt.
“He’s been exceptional,” Maxey said of Edgecombe after the team was eliminated. “That’s the word that I can use, exceptional. Man, I know I sat up at this podium a lot and talked about him a lot this season, just about his maturity, about all the different things that he brings to the game. He had a hell of a rookie season, man. Hell of a not just rookie season, hell of a season. A lot of guys in the NBA wish they had a season like him. So the sky’s the limit. Future is bright.”
Edgecombe was better than just about anyone could’ve anticipated. He was a First Team All-Rookie pick and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, doing so in a stacked draft class while playing for a playoff team. For the season, he averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from three. For a 20-year-old rookie with his athletic profile, that’s a damn fine statistical rookie season.
His number were unsurprisingly down during the postseason, but stellar performances in Games 2 and 7 against the Boston Celtics flashed his serious potential. Between his athleticism, skill and intangibles, it’s not hyperbolic to think Edgecombe has star potential.
“VJ is up next,” Embiid said. “Philly got a good one in him. He’s the guy. I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different. And this was only year one. Year two is going to be better. Year three, even better. But he has a chance to be extremely special.”
If you’ve learned anything about Edgecombe this season, it’s not at all surprising to hear how much he deflected praise and poured it on his teammates. There is a required delusional confidence Edgecombe possesses, but it doesn’t raise to the level of arrogance — quite the opposite.
He frequently cites his hard work as a reason for his confidence while deflecting much of the credit for his team’s success onto others. It’s very similar to the way Maxey carries himself. It’s easy to see why the two have been such a natural pairing.
“For me, from day one,” Edgecombe said of Maxey, “before I even knew I was getting drafted here, he welcomed me with open arms. I’ve been learning from him since then — just trying to keep building that relationship, keep building that chemistry. And I’m really proud of how he handled the season, a lot of ups and downs.”
Both players will go back to the lab this summer, looking to add to their games and fix the flaws that revealed themselves this postseason.
Edgecombe talked about wanting to play on the ball more to help keep the pressure off Maxey. Maxey talked about playing more off the ball to help Edgecombe develop more as a ball-handler. They also talked about Edgecombe making his way to Dallas this summer for a workout.
“I know probably like two, three years ago, I sat up here with Joel and set up here with James, and they saw something in me,” Maxey said. “And I guess I’m getting old now because I’m sitting up here with VJ, and I’m just happy to be a part of his journey. I’m happy to be someone who can help him.
“And another thing is, I’m just going to push him to be as good as he possibly can, because it’s a lot more left in that tank that we’re gonna get out of him. And he’s someone that it’s not gonna take much. You ain’t gotta push his buttons much. He works too hard and he wants it too much.”
Nobody really knows where the Sixers go from here. Bob Myers, who is leading the charge to find the organization’s next president of basketball operations, spoke to reporters for the first time last week. He didn’t offer much as far as the direction the franchise will go.
The reality is, the next person in charge will have their work cut out for them. The Sixers’ depth was a major issue at times through the regular season, but it was on full display as the team was ran out of the gym in a four-game sweep to the Knicks. How you build out that depth with so little resources is a huge question mark.
But the most alluring part of this job to any executive candidate is going to be Maxey and Edgecombe. Once the Embiid and George contracts are off the books — one way or another — they’ll be able to build around this electric backcourt.
On nights when Embiid is ailing and George needs a rest, just remember Maxey and Edgecombe will be running things soon.
“It’s surreal to see,” Edgecombe said of Maxey’s ascenion. “He’s gonna be a superstar for years to come. I’m really proud to just be a part of the journey. He’s just been so great for me, for this team. We ain’t going anywhere without him.”
