The Philadelphia 76ers must distribute shots among several players who have handled large offensive workloads. Tyrese Maxey does not want that challenge to turn VJ Edgecombe into a spectator.
“We’re going to do the same thing with VJ,” Maxey said while explaining how James Harden and Joel Embiid supported him earlier in his career. “We aren’t here for him to get four shots. We won’t win games like that. I’m going to continue to push him.”
Maxey’s comments provide a direct player response to the central question surrounding Philadelphia’s projected lineup. LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Maxey, Embiid and Edgecombe combined to attempt 90.4 shots per game in their previous seasons. The 76ers’ entire roster averaged 90.3.
That math requires sacrifice, but Maxey made his position on Edgecombe clear. Philadelphia cannot solve its crowded offense by asking the young guard to disappear.
@ttp07772321 Tyrese Maxey’s message for VJ Edgecombe on @Numbers On The Board #sixers
Why Maxey Wants Edgecombe to Remain Aggressive
Maxey connected Edgecombe’s situation to the uncertainty he felt when Philadelphia acquired Harden during his second NBA season.
“I was in the same kind of predicament my second year in the league when James Harden came,” Maxey said. “When we traded for James, I was happy, but I was like, ‘Man, what does that mean for me?’”
Harden and Embiid answered that question before doubt could alter Maxey’s approach. According to Maxey, both players took him aside and told him the move should not change how he played.
“One thing I appreciated was that James and Joel pulled me to the side and said, ‘Don’t think this changes anything for you,’” Maxey said. “He was giving me the ball, making me be aggressive.”
Maxey now plans to pass that confidence forward. His comments outline an active role for Edgecombe, not one built around waiting for occasional opportunities after Philadelphia’s established scorers finish their possessions.
The message also identifies aggression as a team need. Maxey did not frame Edgecombe’s touches as a courtesy. He tied them directly to the 76ers’ ability to win.
How Maxey’s Plan Affects the 76ers’ Scoring Squeeze
Maxey’s promise does not eliminate Philadelphia’s numbers problem. It shows that he does not expect Edgecombe to absorb the solution by sharply limiting his own offense.
Casino.org Canada projected Brown and Maxey to make the largest scoring sacrifices when the complete five-man group plays. The study placed their combined production between 44 and 47 points per game, down from 57.0. That represents a drop of 10 to 13 points between them.
The congestion remains substantial even after removing Edgecombe from the equation. James, Brown, Maxey and Embiid previously combined for 76.7 field-goal attempts per game, 15% more than Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green took before Durant joined Golden State.
Availability could give the 76ers little time to settle the hierarchy. The analysis expects all five projected starters to share the floor in only 14 to 19 games. That limited window increases the importance of defining roles whenever the complete group plays.
Maxey has now defined at least one part of Philadelphia’s approach. Edgecombe will get the ball, and his teammates will urge him to attack. The remaining question concerns how the 76ers divide everything else without taking away the aggression Maxey believes they need.
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