Although many questioned the Philadelphia 76ers ending the season, the early returns have been encouraging. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe has seemingly jumped out to an early Rookie of the Year lead after dropping 34 points in his first regular season game.
Tyrese Maxey & VJ Edgecombe moving DANGEROUS in Philly 😧
This young duo continues its hot start to the season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XkYIuyn4as
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 28, 2025
If he can provide immediate impact, then the Sixers could offset the apparent decline of former MVP Joel Embiid. Embiid being healthy to start the year is a pleasant surprise considering he had an 8-month gap without playing an actual game.
Reporter: “The team is playing better when you’re not playing which was a big problem last year obviously.”
Joel Embiid: “It’s been 12 years. I’ll take it.”
(h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA)pic.twitter.com/VGlWlyd434
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 26, 2025
After Joel Embiid went 1-for-9 and had just four points in Wednesday’s season-opening win in Boston, Embiid already has hit a couple of 3-pointers – and has 9 points – in his first stint on the floor tonight against Charlotte.
Embiid is once again on a roughly 20 minute limit.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 25, 2025
Even so, he hasn’t been nearly as impactful, with him being less of a focal point and also on a minutes restriction thus far, averaging just 12 points and 4 rebounds per game. Therein lies the issue. Having a healthy Embiid is certainly better than not having him at all. However, for the Sixers to be true contenders, they will need him to play at an All-Star level, and he has yet to do so.
Of course, the Sixers are likely being cautious with his health in hopes that he can ramp up and play bigger minutes over the course of the season and, especially, the playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers are no longer Joel Embiid’s team
The Sixers relying less on Embiid in the short term may be a bad thing, but they aren’t just focused on the short term. Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and Edgecombe are all 24 years old and under, and the Sixers should prioritize them.
After all, those three players could be on the Sixers after Embiid’s time with the team is over. They could also help to offset any decline in production that Embiid suffers this season. The hope is that the Sixers will soon be able to get to a point where they can survive without Embiid, though they will still need him to thrive this season.
With a 3-1 record thus far this season, the early returns have been encouraging. If the Sixers can keep Embiid relatively healthy, reorient the offense around Maxey, develop Edcombe and McCain, and make the playoffs, then that would be an incredibly successful season.
Better still, with the wide-open state of the Eastern Conference, the Sixers could finally have a chance at a deep playoff run.
Ultimately, the Sixers focusing less on Embiid and more on their young core could pay off in the long run while possibly paying big dividends this season. But only if they are able to keep Embiid healthy throughout the regular season and the playoffs.
