VJEdgecombe

Preseason question: How much room will the stacked Sixers team have for Edgecombe’s development? Philadelphia’s roster is loaded with known quantities: arguably the greatest player of all time, a minted (if oft-injured) MVP, a Finals MVP, and a brilliant lead guard who might currently be the best player among them. Then there’s Edgecombe, who’s just getting started. It’s clear that there’s a world of explosive potential in the 21-year-old guard, even as we catch it only in glimpses. He’ll sprint back in transition and detonate an opponent’s layup attempt. He’ll catch the ball on the weak side and torch the defenders who attempt to rotate his way. A less competitive team would be channeling that talent for all it’s worth. The Sixers are in a position, instead, to bring Edgecombe along slowly. There are more ways for a young player to develop than forcing them reps on the ball. Edgecombe should come out of this experience with an even greater understanding of how to play alongside other stars. He’ll likely grow in the way he reads the game, just by watching LeBron diagnose defenses night in and night out. He’s wildly overqualified for his role, but that’s not a bad thing—and it could help one of the league’s most capable prospects sharpen his game to deadly precision.