News 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Mintz, Barlow lead comeback attempt that comes up just short vs. Hornets

Photo by Garret Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Judah Mintz shined again and newcomer Dominick Barlow impressed, but the Summer Sixers weren’t quite able to complete the comeback vs. the Hornets Saturday.

Somehow, VJ Edgecombe’s stock might be rising faster in the games he hasn’t played in than the one that he did.

The Sixers fell 96-94 to the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night, falling to 0-2 in the Vegas summer league.

Judah Mintz was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points, shooting 5-of-13 from the field while getting to the line 15 times. Dominick Barlow had 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting along with eight rebounds. After another slow start, Justin Edwards went for a 14-point second half. KJ Simpson led the Hornets with 19.

Edgecombe missed his fourth straight game of the summer, but there was reported optimism that he will be able to return for one of the final two games. No. 4 overall pick Kon Knueppel was also unable to suit up for Charlotte due to injury.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

It will be interesting to see how effective Barlow can be for this team as a non-shooter. A lot of things he does well were on display in this one. He moves his feet well and puts himself in good position to rebound and he has active hands that he’s able to poke and prod with to annoy ball handlers.

This certainly isn’t a great environment for his type of role, especially since he seems to be on the floor with a non-shooter often. Still, he had a nice stretch in the second quarter where he was able to get himself to the basket. Perhaps the most intriguing play of the night was when Johni Broome was posting up near the block, but was still able to find a cutting Barlow for a lob.

It’s been really cool seeing Adem Bona push around centers that are noticeably taller than him. He was able to do that to Kyle Filipowski in Utah and was even more aggressive attacking Ryan Kalkbrenner in this one.

Bona was playing with so much aggression he was trying to rip the ball out of everybody’s hands. He was just as eager to attack offensively as well, and finished with a couple big dunks to show for it. He would finish the game with eight points, three blocks, and two steals. The only downside to a good performance from him is Mark Jones making a Bona-fide pun on commentary every quarter.

Adem Bona SLICING into the paint pic.twitter.com/AmLJ5i7qqH

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 12, 2025​

This isn’t exactly the type of environment for JEdwards to thrive as a Swiss-army knife type of guy, but he has still looked a lot worse this summer than a year ago. He finally showed some signs of life in the third. After knocking down a three he was able to cut down the lane for dunk. Just as impressive as the slam was the bounce pass from Bona that found him.

Jedwards w/ the AND 1 hand slam! pic.twitter.com/ddbwNDBDLZ

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 13, 2025​

Hunter Sallis got the start as Jalen Hood-Schifino was inactive, but he still wasn’t able to settle in. The way he moves with the ball in his hands is interesting and he’s had some decent moments creating. He finished with four assists in this one. It’s hard to see him being very effective though if he can’t get that shot to fall.

He looks rough compared to Mintz, who at times is the only guy on this team who can put the ball in the basket. It was his flurry that made it a competitive game in the second quarter, and he did a lot of the leg work in the fourth when they briefly held a lead, though his attempt to tie the game with time expiring was blocked.

The Sixers are back in action again on Tuesday when they take on the Washington Wizards at 8:30 p.m. ET. That game will be on NBATV and NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...e-recap-judah-mintz-adem-bona-dominick-barlow

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Summer League, Sixers-Hornets: Game Discussion Thread

The Sixers, still without VJ Edgecombe, continue their Las Vegas Summer League campaign on Saturday evening against the Charlotte Hornets.

(Summer) Sixers vs. Hornets Game Details​

When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

Watch: ESPN2, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...econd-half-thread-nba-discussion-philadelphia

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

The VJ Edgecombe injury situation has killed any positive feelings about Sixers Summer League

Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images

Why can’t we have nice things?

Heading into NBA Summer League play in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, I think many fans were genuinely excited about watching the Philadelphia 76ers take the court. Sure, the quality of the on-court play during July is choppy, at best, and the results don’t actually matter, but after months of actively hoping the Sixers would lose games in order to improve draft position, it’s nice to have a pure rooting interest in hoping they win the game you’re watching, even in Summer League. Plus, the Sixers had third overall pick VJ Edgecombe, and watching his development would add an interesting and exciting element.

We had a brief taste of it against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, when the Sixers lost in the final minute, but Edgecombe balled out with 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal, and also showed off some trash-talking chops. For a day or so, everything was golden and Summer League vibes were super high.

Then, everything changed when Edgecombe was ruled out with a bruised thumb, which later morphed into a sprained thumb, and then finally a wrist injury. VJ has yet to retake the floor and it would be surprising to see him out there for the remaining games this week. With this development, all excitement and optimism has left the Sixers Summer League experience.

Now, there are levels to this disappointment. First, it would just be fun to see Edgecombe playing, but if it was a situation like the Dallas Mavericks shutting down Cooper Flagg, we would understand and be OK with the call. Then, there’s his suffering an injury after just one game, bringing back all the familiar “Sixers draft picks are cursed” memories. ‘Is this going to mess with his shot and we have another Markelle Fultz situation’ on our hands?’ Not a reasonable thought for what is reportedly a minor injury, but we’ve been hurt too many times before to not even have a hint of worry across our minds. Finally, it’s yet another weird injury reporting situation from the Sixers. They feel like the only franchise in the league that routinely changes what the injury is on a regular basis. Just be normal, Sixers medical staff!

Add it all up and we’ve gone from being excited about Summer League to kind of just wanting it to be over so we can eventually get to training camp and see Edgecombe out there healthy with the regulars. With all due respect to Judah Mintz, Dominick Barlow and whoever else has been stringing together some solid performances out West, another depressively vague injury situation is the last thing we needed and overshadows whatever else is happening. Just bring everyone home safe and sound and bubble wrap them until October.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...s-sixers-summer-league-philadelphia-76ers-nba

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Paul George undergoes surgery for injury suffered in workout

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Paul George suffered another injury to his left knee that troubled him much of last season.

At this point you might as well call him Procedure P.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported some unpleasant news and that is Paul George underwent arthroscopic surgery on Monday to repair an injury he sustained in an offseason workout.

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Monday to treat an injury suffered during a recent workout, a team official tells ESPN. George will now begin a rehab program and be re-evaluated prior to start of training camp. pic.twitter.com/cMX6uANlmY

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 14, 2025​

This has been confirmed by the Sixers, who said the surgery was performed by Dr. Jonathan Glashow, the same surgeon who operated on Joel Embiid earlier this offseason.

With Charania saying that George will be re-evaluated at the start of training camp, it is likely we won’t know if PG will be ready for the start of the season until we get to that point. It’s also troubling to hear that the left knee is again a problem for George.

He first injured that knee in his second preseason game as a Sixer. Only a few weeks after initially injuring it, he hyperextended the knee again just games into the regular season, and had to deal with another bone bruise. That played a big part in not letting George’s first season in Philadelphia get off the ground, and it looks like that will carry over into his second season as well.

There’s really no good way to look at this, but at least the team got good injury news elsewhere. VJ Edgecombe was reportedly a full participant in summer league practice today after missing the last four games with a wrist injury. Per Ky Carlin of SixersWire, Edgecombe looked good in practice and an update for his status will be provided on Tuesday.

Summer league coach TJ DiLeo on VJ Edgecombe at practice today: “He looked great today. He had a good day. The stuff we saw in the first game.“

A status update for tomorrow’s game for Edgecombe will be provided. #Sixers

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) July 14, 2025​

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...surgery-knee-injury-2025-nba-offseason-sixers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Edgecombe struggles early but finds groove in second half to lead Sixers to win

Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

VJ Edgecombe was scoreless in the first half but dropped 15 points and stuffed the stat sheet in the second half to lead the Sixers over the Wizards in Vegas.

Well, that was a game and they won it, that’s for sure.

With VJ Edgecombe back in the lineup, the Sixers beat the Washington Wizards 74-58 Tuesday night to improve to 1-2 in Vegas.

Thanks to a late three-point surge, Justin Edwards led the Sixers with 17 points along with eight boards. He shot 5-of-14 from the field, all of those makes coming from behind the arc.

With his college coach Bruce Pearle in attendance, Johni Broome impressed with 14 points along with 10 rebounds. He went 5-of-11 from the field.

Edgecombe, who got off to a pretty slow start, finished with 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting. He also went for six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

AJ Johnson led all scorers with 20. Tre Johnson was out for Washington due to hamstring tightness.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

Edgecombe was unable to buy a basket to start this game, missing his first seven shots. It was hard to tell if there were any lingering effects from his wrist injury, because the Wizards might have gotten away with a couple fouls. He still didn’t get on the board until the second half. His first field goal was a struggle, guiding a dunk attempt off the rim.

It was still fun to see his athleticism out there. That alone was able to stabilize better than any other guard on the team at points. He nearly got on the board with another poster dunk, but had to settle for the trip to the line.

He continued to create good looks for himself at the basket, most of them continued to results in fouls though rather than made baskets. He finally got another layup to go after a nifty move, and hit a three moments later that put the game away in the fourth.

It wasn’t nearly as flashy as his debut in Utah, but there were still plenty of positives for Edgecombe’s first game back after missing the previous four.

EDWARDS EDGECOMBE pic.twitter.com/xoPR4fA1Cp

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 16, 2025​

While the rest of the backcourt play was peak summer league sloppy, the other Sixers’ draft pick from this year had his best pro game so far.

Broome looked really good coming out of dribble hand-offs attacking switches. For large stretches of the game, the ball was safest when it was in his hands, and he got some chances to make important decision with the ball. This dump off to Adem Bona was somehow his lone assist of the night.

Johni dropping dimes. pic.twitter.com/wRT1MBjmRB

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 16, 2025​

Bona was certainly part of the sloppiness at the beginning of the game. He finished with four turnovers. He was really solid defensively though, and was able to get the ball in the basket when it found him again. His second go around at summer league has certainly been more reassuring than that of Edwards.

The summer Sixers will be right back at it taking on the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. You can catch it on ESPN and NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...mer-league-vj-edgecombe-johni-broom-adem-bona

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

How a weak 2027 draft class could affect the Sixers

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

A super long-view of the team’s draft capital and roster construction.

On the heels of Monday’s Paul George injury report, Sixers fans could breathe a sigh of relief on Tuesday as third overall pick VJ Edgecombe returned to summer league play.

Edgecombe’s battle with a thumb sprain appears to have concluded, as he flashed his talent against the Washington Wizards. He would tally 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a very impressive block (1:10 in video below).

Sixers rookie V.J. Edgecombe continues to impress this Summer, scoring 15 points in 30 minutes to go along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block last night pic.twitter.com/21asktPa5K

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) July 16, 2025​

Edgecombe’s development may be more crucial to the Sixers than previously thought. ESPN’s Johnathan Givony reported earlier on Tuesday that some NBA executives already have a gloomy outlook on the 2027 draft class:

“The most forward-thinking of those executives are already ringing alarm bells in their front offices for the 2027 NBA draft, which appears to be an especially weak group of rising high school seniors and international players born in 2007 and 2008.”

Givony reveals that college coaches are even shying away from the top high school prospects and are instead heavily focusing on acquiring talent through the transfer portal.

What does this mean for the Sixers?

If you recall the draft lottery this year, the one in which fans and the front office alike were holding on to the chances of the Sixers even getting a draft pick. The one that had them jumping up to the third overall spot, leading to them take Edgecombe. Since the pick stayed with the Sixers, next year's selection is at stake, with the possibility of being sent to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder if it does not land in one of the top four picks.

Barring an even more disastrous season than the previous, the 2026 pick will be sent to the Thunder. This means the next pick the 76ers have sole ownership of is their 2027 first-round pick, as it pushes back their top-eight protected first-round pick owed to the Brooklyn Nets until 2028.

If Givony’s report holds, and there is little star talent in the 2027 draft class, it becomes evident that the development of rookie-scale contract players like Edgecombe and Jared McCain will be pivotal.

The Sixers could be looking at a 2027-28 roster with a 33-year-old Joel Embiid, who will make $62.5 million that season. Paul George will be 37 that year and has a player option to return to the team for $56.5 million. Unless there are some unforeseen revenue spikes or trades, those two contracts would eat up about 70% of the team's total cap space.

Even if the two injury-prone stars can put together a successful season or two, the optionality for the front office in 2027 just got more difficult. It will be unlikely that teams will value that year’s draft picks equally to even selections in 2026, which may just become more valuable in turn.

Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, son of former All-Star Carlos Boozer, headline the 2026 draft class with star-level potential.

Despite criticism from NBA executives, the 2027 draft class boasts a couple of names that demonstrate clear league potential.

The top-ranked class of 2026 high schooler is currently 6-foot-7 Tyran Stokes out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA.

He has the physical tools to hold his own defensively, notably out on the perimeter, and is unafraid to jump passing lanes or steal some cookies from unsuspecting opponents. His high-flying slashing game has shades of Sixers’ own Kelly Oubre Jr., as he consistently finishes dunks and lobs with ferocity. Almost every dunk is followed by either a flex to the crowd or trash talk to the defender he scored on, bringing palpable energy to the team.

He has room to grow as a shooter from deep, but his shot appears fundamentally sound and consistent from around the court. Against a more formidable defense, he flashes solid playmaking and shot creation.

The other 2027 draft prospect to keep an eye on is 6-foot-11 forward Miika Muurinen out of Finland.

Muurinen is a complete package offensively and is the best shooter in the class. His height allows him to stretch the floor, which he takes advantage of with impressive on-ball skills.

He is comfortable shooting from NBA three-point range, operating in the post, and finishing with touch at the rim.

Muurinen demonstrates a solid basketball IQ, consistently cutting off the ball when the offense stagnates, working patiently on dribble-handoffs with guards, popping out to the three-point line after setting screens, and consistently being in the right spot defensively. The question will be whether his rebounding and paint defense will be hampered by his slender frame at the next level.

Sixers fans know better than anyone that a lot can change within a year. To write off these prospects before getting their first ounce of college coaching is irresponsible, even if hindsight proves the critiques correct.

If college coaches are unwilling to hand out five-star-level money to these prospects, like Givony reported, perhaps they will be hungrier than ever to get themselves NBA-ready. Only time will tell.

The Sixers are already handcuffed for the next few years, and if the scout who said “This is one of the weakest high school classes I’ve seen in a long time” is accurate, the handcuffs will be even more challenging to unlock.

The answer might have to be budding stardom out of their last two first-round picks. McCain oozed potential through 23 games in his rookie season and was on pace to win Rookie of the Year before injuring his meniscus. Through two summer league games, Edgecombe shows great promise as well, but it would be an overreaction to claim he is a budding star.

Hitting on second-round picks will be crucial, as cheap but talented players will offset the top-heavy cap sheet. The Sixers' President of Basketball Operations has a strong history of drafting players in the second round, with names like Isaiah Joe, Paul Reed and, more recently, Adem Bona making a name for themselves or earning second contracts.

This must continue if the Sixers are to survive a weak 2027 draft class.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...class-sixers-future-draft-picks-clippers-swap

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Discussing the Sixers’ 21st Century Mount Rushmore

Bleacher Report recently underwent an interesting exercise, examining the Mount Rushmore (i.e. the four most iconic faces) for every team during the course of the 21st century. While some franchises had an embarrassment of riches and had to leave some outstanding players off the list, the article really drove home how bleak Philadelphia 76ers basketball has often been this century, something also covered in our Gordie Jones’ recent ranking of the last 25 Sixers teams.

The first name was Allen Iverson, an obvious inclusion. Not only did The Answer lead the Sixers to their only NBA Finals appearance since Will Smith dropped Willennium, but he stamped one of the greatest cultural footprints of any player in league history. We don’t need to go on.

Next we have Joel Embiid. While the current outlook for the big man’s future is awfully pessimistic and we could potentially be looking at a John Wall Memorial Worst Contract in the League situation, Embiid needs to be on here. The man won an MVP award, and they don’t just hand those out like Major League Baseball letting Jacob Misiorowski in the All-Star Game. Embiid went on about a half-decade run combining historical efficiency on the offensive end with defensive domination. His body may be letting him down, but no sane person could let him down by excluding him from this group.

Now things get slightly murkier with the next name: Andre Iguodala. As someone who will be discussed for the Hall of Fame when he is eligible in 2027, he should be open and shut here. However, he finally received the full respect he deserved after leaving Philadelphia. With the Sixers, he was miscast as an alpha scorer, supposed to take the reins from Iverson after his departure. Philadelphia fans grew increasingly bitter that wasn’t who Iguodala was as a player. It wasn’t until he was able to serve as an elite defensive swiss-army knife, glue guy with Golden State (and Team USA) that Andre reached his ultimate potential. Still, Iguodala peaked as a Sixer with his 2011-12 All-Star campaign culminating with his playoff moment in Chicago during that fun postseason run. For better or worse, he’s the face of an entire era of Sixers basketball.

Finally, we arrive at who prompted this follow-up discussion: Thaddeus Young. Here’s what Bleacher Report wrote on Thad:

“Picking a fourth face is hard, and not the fun kind of hard. You can make a case for Ben Simmons, Lou Williams, Tyrese Maxey, Jrue Holiday, Robert Covington, maybe even James Harden and more. Thaddeus Young’s longevity wins out. He’s third among Sixers in total games played and steals and is fourth in scoring and rebounds over this span.”

Let me say this first. I loved Thaddeus Young. The Night Shift was super fun. I always respected his hustle on a night-in, night-out basis for years. Back when I used to podcast, I went on record numerous times saying Young was my favorite Sixer for many years. That being said, Thad can’t be on a Mount Rushmore purely because he played seven seasons here. He never made an All-Star team and only played 21.3 minutes per game off the bench the only time the Sixers made it out of the first round during his tenure. Mount Rushmore can’t be for memorializing the “pretty good”.

So let’s examine the other candidates. James Harden wasn’t here long enough. Ditto for Jrue Holiday, who was still on the way up when he was shipped out to kickstart The Process. Lou Williams falls into the same bucket as Thad of “pretty good for a longer period of time”. Ben Simmons probably had the highest individual peaks of anyone from this group, but Sixers fans would take dynamite to the monument if his face was thrown up there.

To me, it has to be Tyrese Maxey. Maxey has played five seasons in Philadelphia already, spending a couple as the alpha whenever Joel Embiid is sidelined (sadly, this is often). He made an All-Star team and averaged over 20 points per game during three separate postseason runs, including an iconic 46 points and logo three in a Game 5 win over the New York Knicks that Sixers fans will remember forever. Even if you don’t want to project moving forward at all as part of this exercise, Maxey already has the resume. All due respect to Thad, but instead of honoring some cumulative stats for a bunch of .500 teams, give me the rising star with the jersey every kid in Philadelphia wants to be wearing.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...erson-joel-embiid-andre-iguodala-tyrese-maxey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Adem Bona continues solid start to first EuroBasket experience

Coming off a rookie season for the Sixers in which he showed the kind of athleticism, energy and ability at both ends of the floor to become a rock-solid backup center, Adem Bona has been getting some extra experience this summer with his EuroBasket debut.

Playing for Turkey, Bona is off to a solid start through two games. And on Friday morning, as Turkey beat Czechia 92-78 for their second win in a row, Bona turned in a high-energy performance to finish with six points (3-of-6 shooting), two rebounds and a +2. He also improved his composure — after picking up five fouls in the first game against Latvia on Wednesday, he had just one against Czechia.

Turkey was yet again led by their star, Alperen Sengun, who racked up an effortless 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting. He’s even got to spend some time playing alongside Bona in double-big lineups. Cedi Osman also added 21 points, after scoring 20 in game one against Latvia.

Sengun’s smooth overhead dish to Bona against Latvia is the pair’s flashiest highlight so far:

Alperen Sengun with the DIME behind his head to Adem Bona for the dunk

(via @trtsporyildiz)pic.twitter.com/uxnyJ0IBHY

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 27, 2025

Turkey are now 2-0, taking a firm lead in Group A over Portugal, Czechia, Serbia, Latvia and Estonia.

Eurohoops interviewed Bona earlier in the tournament, and the young Sixer was rightfully excited about his EuroBasket opportunity:

“The atmosphere within the team is very good, and we have a great bond. The age balance is also very good; we’re a team made of experienced and young players. The bond between us is excellent, and our team chemistry, both on and off the court, is incredible. I’m very excited to be a part of this team. This will be my first EuroBasket, and it’s a huge achievement for me. So, I’m very excited.”

And even though it’s not exactly as big a deal as the real-life achievement of representing Turkey at EuroBasket, another fun moment for Bona this summer was picking up a ridiculously good block rating of 91 in NBA 2K26. It’s tied for the sixth-highest in the game, so Eurohoops asked for his reaction:

“It’s amazing for me. I’ve only been in the NBA for one season, and to get a rating like this after my first year shows how hard I’ve worked. It also shows the trust my team has in me and the opportunity they’ve given me. They’ve given me the chance to do my best. I think this rating is a testament to my hard work for the team. Of course, it’s also a testament to the team’s confidence in me.”

Following the Sixers over the last season has been hard, injury-riddled work. But there’s a lot of young exciting talent to look forward to watching next season, from Jared McCain’s return and new rookie VJ Edgecombe, to seeing what Bona can do in his sophomore year. Hopefully his EuroBasket run only increases his confidence as he builds on all the promise he showed in 2024-25.

Next up, Bona and Turkey face Portugal on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 2:15 pm EST.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-news/77988/adem-bona-first-eurobasket-2025-experience-sixers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

VJ Edgecombe throws out first pitch at Phillies game

Who doesn’t love a good crossover episode?

As the Phillies continued their four-game series with the Atlanta Braves Friday night, Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe was in attendance to throw out the first pitch. Whether he made it to the strike zone or not depends on the umpire. The Phillie Phanatic could have done a better job framing it if we’re being honest.

.@vj_edgecombe with the first pitch! ️ pic.twitter.com/GkI2lAhytT

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) August 29, 2025

Throwing out the first pitch has become a tradition for high profile incomers for the Sixers. Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, Nick Nurse and Jared McCain have all taken part in recent years. No word yet on if Johni Broome accompanied Edgecombe the same way Adem Bona was always seen hanging around McCain. He did get the chance to chop it up with some Phils such as Edmundo Sosa, Nick Castellanos and fellow No. 3 overall pick Alec Bohm.

Nick Castellanos is giving VJ Edgecombe some sort of impassioned baseball advice: pic.twitter.com/KB5wQfdgco

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) August 29, 2025

Edmundo Sosa is the latest to say hello to VJ Edgecombe: pic.twitter.com/f0BHSmpH1S

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) August 29, 2025

Now, time for some old man complaints.

First baseball game
First pitch pic.twitter.com/pQGG5M9bzf

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 29, 2025

For two reasons, it’s a shame that Edgecombe happened to throw out the first pitch on a Friday night. For starters, he had to wear that god awful city connect jersey the Phillies have been rocking since last year. Those would not have done very well in our special edition jersey rankings we recently did.

It’s also a bummer because this game is the Friday night game featured on Apple TV. The local NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast is usually able to get those guys to spend an inning in the announce both. We were robbed of a live introduction for Edgecombe to John Kruk. What could have been.

Though he did get into some hijinks with the Phanatic, stealing the beloved mascot’s keys before returning them while talking to the Apple TV crew. Here a few other posts related to Edgecombe throwing out the first pitch.

Tyrese Maxey having some fun with VJ Edgecombe on Instagram #Sixers pic.twitter.com/SxXle9zph8

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) August 29, 2025

VJ Edgecombe just threw out the first pitch at CBP. Dan Baker was predictably excellent announcing his name. pic.twitter.com/Q2tmbyJDAj

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) August 29, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...e-throws-out-first-pitch-phillies-game-sixers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Every Sixers special edition jersey of the Nike Era, ranked

A true mark of the depths of the NBA offseason is when the hottest news on the block is about which city edition jersey each team will debut for the upcoming season. The uniform rumor surrounding the Sixers is especially exciting, as it appears they are finally bring back the early 2000s look made iconic by Allen Iverson. It certainly has all of us at LB excited about the returning look.

While Nike has perhaps learned the lesson that more is not always better with their city edition experiment, the Sixers have fared better than most teams in the extra jerseys they received, depending on your taste. The 2001 throwbacks will make 12 special edition uniforms the Sixers have had since Nike became the NBA’s jersey manufacturer ahead of the 2017-18 season. So I went back and ranked the first 11 the Sixers have worn so far to see how they’ll stack up against a classic. These uniforms all probably have proper names, but how I remember them is how they’ll be referred to going forward.

11. Shitty Bell (2020-21)

Going with a cream colored jersey for the third time in four seasons, this one was the first that was undeniably a miss. This jersey is the worst combination of ugly and lazy. There’s no name or nickname for the team or the city. The only indicator is a big giant bell which is then covered up by the numbers. The stars coming up the sides on both the jersey and shorts feel disconnected as well. The only good thing about this jersey is it gets easily forgotten due to the other disaster the Sixers had with their other special jersey that season. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that.

10. Rocky Kits (2018-19)

Of all the tinkering that was done with this list, these uniforms sliding down the list is what moved the most. There are parts of this jersey worth liking. The shorts on their own were a hot item when this look was debuted. The jersey as a whole doesn’t quite come together, and for me that might just be how they looked in the Wells Fargo Center, sorry, the Xfinity Mobile Arena lighting. For contrast, I think they look a lot better in the social media promotional material. The concept was somewhat intriguing, with Philadelphia being the world’s capital for sweatpants and groufits, but this might have been a better idea on paper instead of practice.

9. Boathouse Rows (2020-21)

This remains a hotly debated topic in the Liberty Ballers Slack channel to this day. I was someone who initially didn’t hate the Boathouse Row jerseys. From a distance, they looked pretty clean out there in an all-black look and some of the additional merch that went with these uniforms weren’t bad. Even forgetting the PR disaster that came with these jerseys, there’s a lot of problems with them. The number being above both the city name on the front of the jersey and the player’s name on the back is an absolute mess. The actual boathouse row being in between the name and number makes it look a bit messier as well, even with the “TTP” being woven into one of the houses.

The real crime of these jerseys though were how they were rolled out. It had been 20 years since Allen Iverson’s MVP season that led them to the 2001 Finals. Not only did the Sixers tease a black jersey, but they used Iverson to promote them. Instead of getting a returning classic most of the fanbase wanted, they got a jersey that paid homage to a part of the city only prep school kids who rowed crew would have a connection to. If you still don’t hate this look that’s fine, but it’s hard to ignore what these jerseys represent.

8. Reading Terminal Markets (2023-24)

This is the first of many times my personal bias will come out in this ranking. It’s an interesting bias for this team too because frankly, I just don’t like navy blue as a jersey color. While the City of Brotherly Live written across the front of the jersey looks cleaner than another jersey that might pop up on this list, it’s still a bit of a mouthful. Unlike the previous entry, I do remember liking these jerseys a lot more when I saw them on the court as opposed to first seeing them promoted on social media. As someone from the area, the signage and font on the jersey that’s a nod to Reading Terminal Market is a nice touch.

7. A mouthful (2022-23)

And my bias rears its ugly head again. These jerseys probably aren’t better than what the team used the following year, but I slightly prefer them. The front of the jersey is even busier, with City of Brotherly Love written out in an even bigger font. The rest of the look though isn’t that bad. It was cool to see them use an off-white after going to the cream well for years. It paired really well with the throwback-looking court they paired with these jerseys, with an unpainted paint. There isn’t much to write home about with these jerseys, but it is a good example of how having a solid color scheme can save a team from Nike’s crazy ideas for city edition looks.

6. OG Spectrums (2021-22)

Is it blasphemous to have these jerseys so low? Maybe!

The point of the list where every jersey is unequivocally good though has been reached. Something the Sixers have done a decent job of this era is making a uniform look like a throwback despite it being a new uniform. Aside from the font that’s being used, nothing about this uniform had been used before. The colors of the spectrum down the side of the jersey is a really nice touch that gives it some life. The logo down on the shorts does the same thing. These were a fan favorites for a reason, and it was nice to see the team make this their regular uniforms in the playoffs.

5. OG Parchments (2017-18)

The Sixers first dive into the cream colored jerseys was a rousing success. It probably helped that once the Sixers started wearing this jerseys more often, the team started winning a lot more games, including a 17-game winning streak to wrap up the regular season. Nike actually got off to a decent start with their city edition jerseys and these were one of the reasons for that. Cream hadn’t been a color the Sixers had really used but it fit seamlessly into their scheme. They didn’t try to make the design too complicated, just changing the “Phila” font to a cursive font.

4.. Fleshed out parchments (2019-20)

Sometimes it takes a couple of years to really develop a look and that’s perfectly fine. I think a reason these jerseys aren’t looked at as fondly is they were worn in a year with pretty terrible vibes. That being said, this was a pretty damn good look. It gets some extra points here for having “Philadelphia” fully spelled as opposed to the abbreviation. It looks slightly better with the red numbers as opposed to the blue in the originals. Like the spectrum jerseys, these really have a throwback look despite being an entirely new creation.

3. S-e-v-e-n-t-i-e-s (2019-20)

Because these were worn in the same miserable season, one that was shortened due to COVID no less, they get forgotten more, which is a shame because I really liked them. I understand if using the same “S” for “seventy” and “sixers” is a bit much for you. Perhaps the jersey would look better if it just said “Sixers” but I like the older feel it gives by being there. It seems like Nike has made a concentrated effort to get teams to stop wearing white, so I’ve been glad to see the Sixers go in that direction with several of their jerseys.

2. White Rocky kits (2018-19)

Yet another example of the Sixers forcing a white jersey back into the fold. I can’t tell if it helps or hurts the Rocky jerseys that there was a successful version of them created. In a more traditional jersey color, the simplicity of the design really comes through. There was something about the circle of stars that captured the “76er” vibe better than any written form of “Phila” ever could. For good reason, this became such a popular fixture in this season that they became part of the regulars the Sixers wore throughout their playoff run.

1. White Spectrums (2024-25)

This is perhaps the hottest take on the list and again, it’s due to my bias against navy blue. There wasn’t a lot of hype for these jerseys when they were released, and it didn’t helped that the season they were worn in was quite possibly the most cursed season in franchise history, but man, it is a good look. Just like in 2022, the arena did a good job of throwing back every part of the game to really create the aesthetic. I love how the names are in red while the numbers are in blue, and the spectrum colors up the side come out so much more on a white jersey. I really felt immersed in the Spectrum experience the way most did with the original version of these three seasons prior. It is such a shame that a 24-win season will help such a look be forgotten.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...special-edition-jersey-of-the-nike-era-ranked

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Why the Sixers haven’t spent their taxpayer mid-level exception yet

We’re less than four weeks away from the start of training camp, yet the Sixers still have two open roster spots. One of those is reserved for Quentin Grimes, who remains in a restricted-free-agency standoff much like Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas. The other might not get filled at all before the season starts.

On Thursday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said new Brooklyn Nets forward Haywood Highsmith could be on the move again between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline. In the original version of his article, he noted that since Highsmith is earning only $5.6 million, a team could absorb him using its mid-level exception—either the $5.7 million taxpayer MLE or the $14.1 million non-taxpayer MLE—without having to send salary back to Brooklyn.

“A team like the 76ers, for example, that has planned to take its taxpayer mid-level into the season rather than spending it this summer can use the exception during the season to absorb the salary of a player like Highsmith via trade without having to send any salary the other way,” Fischer wrote.

Curiously, that line is no longer in the latest version of his article. Perhaps the Sixers let him know that they’re still open to spending the MLE this summer once they re-sign Grimes? Either way, they must resolve the Grimes situation first before they even consider using it.

If a team uses the non-taxpayer MLE, it becomes hard-capped at the first apron ($195.9 million this season). If a team uses the taxpayer MLE, it becomes hard-capped at the second apron ($207.8 million). With 13 players on standard contracts, the Sixers are currently $10.05 million under the first apron and $21.9 million under the second apron. If they spent the full $5.7 million taxpayer MLE, that would leave them only $16.2 million below the second apron.

At the moment, the Nets are the only team that could offer Grimes more than the non-taxpayer MLE. As long as they weren’t interested in signing Grimes, the Sixers theoretically have enough flexibility under the second apron to spend the taxpayer MLE and still re-sign Grimes. However, they’d leave the door open for the Nets to come over the top with an offer sheet that they couldn’t match unless they dumped salary elsewhere.

Besides, the free-agent market has largely dried up at this point of the offseason. Outside of Kuminga, Giddey and Thomas—none of whom the Sixers could pry away with only the taxpayer MLE—many of the best options have been heavily linked to the Warriors in recent weeks. Once the Warriors resolve Kuminga’s restricted free agency, they’re reportedly poised to sign some combination of Al Horford, Malcolm Brogdon, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and Seth Curry.

Malik Beasley is by far the best remaining unrestricted free agent, although off-court issues have complicated his standing at the moment. Although ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that Beasley “is no longer a target of the federal gambling investigation conducted by the Eastern District of New York,” Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports reported he’s “still considered a ‘subject’ of the investigation” and could still be charged with a crime and/or punished by the NBA. While Beasley would be a great value at the $5.7 million taxpayer MLE, another guard is the last thing that the Sixers need, especially if they re-sign Grimes.

Outside of Beasley, the pickings are relatively slim. Trey Lyles, Precious Achiuwa and Russell Westbrook are among the best remaining options, although at this point in the offseason, none of them would likely command more than a minimum deal.

Team president Daryl Morey has long preferred to keep one roster spot open heading into the season to preserve flexibility for in-season moves. That could allow the Sixers to swing a 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 deal without having to shed a contract elsewhere, or they’d have an open roster spot to convert Dominick Barlow or Jabari Walker from a two-way deal to a standard contract. And as Fischer noted, the league’s latest collective bargaining agreement now allows teams to use MLEs as trade exceptions.

However, unused MLEs do begin to prorate downward on Jan. 10 each season. From that date forward, the taxpayer MLE will reduce in value by $32,672 each day. So, while Highsmith would fit into the taxpayer MLE for now, his $5,616,000 salary would be too large for the prorated taxpayer MLE by Jan. 13. If the Sixers hold on to their taxpayer MLE until the day of the trade deadline (Feb. 5), it will shed roughly $880,000 in value by then.

The Sixers could still use their taxpayer MLE to sign a free agent in-season as well. However, if they cross the first apron once they re-sign Grimes, they won’t be allowed to sign any player on the buyout market who was previously earning more than the non-taxpayer MLE. They could also face plenty of competition on the trade and free-agent market with their exception, as a number of other teams have yet to touch theirs as well.

So, don’t be surprised if the Sixers eventually sign Grimes and then call it a summer, leaving one roster spot open heading into the season. The real question is whether they’ll actually spend their MLE at some point during the year. Allowing it to expire would be another wasted asset, but if Paul George and Joel Embiid are in and out of the lineup again all year, the Sixers likely won’t have much of an appetite to add to their luxury-tax bill.

Fret not, though. I’m prepared to roast their asses if (when?) that happens.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...exception-2025-nba-free-agency-quentin-grimes