Do the Sixers have the best guard rotation in the league?

Iverson Armband · Post #1 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 3:22 pm

Obviously it’s early, but with the addition of VJ Edgecombe who profiles as a high level two way guard, I believe this team now has the best guard rotation in the league with Maxey/McCain/Grimes/Edgecombe. There are a few teams who may have a better top 2, but nobody has 4 legit starting level guards better than the Sixers IMO. Here are the guard rotations I think are comparable:

OKC:
SGA/Caruso/Dort/Wiggins

IND:
Haliburton/Nembhard/Mathurin/TJ

CLE:
Mitchell/Garland/Jerome/Ball

SAS:
Fox/Harper/Castle/Vassell

You taking any of these over what we have?

eyeatoma · Post #2 » by **eyeatoma** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 3:52 pm

Iverson Armband wrote:Obviously it’s early, but with the addition of VJ Edgecombe who profiles as a high level two way guard, I believe this team now has the best guard rotation in the league with Maxey/McCain/Grimes/Edgecombe. There are a few teams who may have a better top 2, but nobody has 4 legit starting level guards better than the Sixers IMO. Here are the guard rotations I think are comparable:

OKC:
SGA/Wlliams/Caruso/Dort/Wiggins

IND:
Haliburton/Nembhard/Mathurin/TJ

CLE:
Mitchell/Garland/Jerome/Ball

SAS:
Fox/Harper/Castle/Vassell

You taking any of these over what we have?

Let's rank the best players:

Tier 1 Guards
SGA

Tier 2 Guards
Mitchell
Maxey
Haliburton
Fox
Jalen Williams

Tier 3 gaurds
Garland
Vassell
Grimes
Harper
Edgecombe
MCCain
Mathurin
Caruso

Tier 4 Gaurds
Dort
Wiggins
Nembhard
TJ
Jerome
Ball

I'd say the Sixers have the 2nd best, behind the Thunder/Pacers

Cavs have 2 really strong players, then it drops off.

Also you forgot Jalen Williams

I'd say 1st is Thunder
2nd Sixers
3rd Pacers
4th Spurs
5th Cavs

Jailblazers7 · Post #3 » by **Jailblazers7** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 3:58 pm

Need to see more from VJ and McCain in live NBA action before ranking them high. We definitely have a talented group but we’ve gotta build some synergy across the group before we can be considered elite.

I think Houston could be up there as a top group as well and Lakers get a spot too if you count Luka as a guard because Luka/Reaves is a great starting duo.

Iverson Armband · Post #4 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 4:06 pm

eyeatoma wrote:
Iverson Armband wrote:Obviously it’s early, but with the addition of VJ Edgecombe who profiles as a high level two way guard, I believe this team now has the best guard rotation in the league with Maxey/McCain/Grimes/Edgecombe. There are a few teams who may have a better top 2, but nobody has 4 legit starting level guards better than the Sixers IMO. Here are the guard rotations I think are comparable:

OKC:
SGA/Wlliams/Caruso/Dort/Wiggins

IND:
Haliburton/Nembhard/Mathurin/TJ

CLE:
Mitchell/Garland/Jerome/Ball

SAS:
Fox/Harper/Castle/Vassell

You taking any of these over what we have?

Let's rank the best players:

Tier 1 Guards
SGA

Tier 2 Guards
Mitchell
Maxey
Haliburton
Fox
Jalen Williams

Tier 3 gaurds
Garland
Vassell
Grimes
Harper
Edgecombe
MCCain
Mathurin
Caruso

Tier 4 Gaurds
Dort
Wiggins
Nembhard
TJ
Jerome
Ball

I'd say the Sixers have the 2nd best, behind the Thunder/Pacers

Cavs have 2 really strong players, then it drops off.

Also you forgot Jalen Williams

I'd say 1st is Thunder
2nd Sixers
3rd Pacers
4th Spurs
5th Cavs

I was going to list J-Dub, but I see him listed as G/F. Wanted to keep the list to strictly guards for arguments sake.

Iverson Armband · Post #5 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 4:15 pm

Jailblazers7 wrote:Need to see more from VJ and McCain in live NBA action before ranking them high. We definitely have a talented group but we’ve gotta build some synergy across the group before we can be considered elite.

I think Houston could be up there as a top group as well and Lakers get a spot too if you count Luka as a guard because Luka/Reaves is a great starting duo.

Houston basically has Sheppard who I’m high on, but he hasn’t even really played and FVV. I wouldn’t consider them at all. Luka is a G\F, but even if you count him as strictly a G it’s just him and Reeves and that’s it.

Honorable mentions would be:

Detroit (Cade, Ivey, Sasser, Beasley)
Wolves (Ant, Dillingham, DiVenzco, NAW)

Jailblazers7 · Post #6 » by **Jailblazers7** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 5:16 pm

Iverson Armband wrote:
Jailblazers7 wrote:Need to see more from VJ and McCain in live NBA action before ranking them high. We definitely have a talented group but we’ve gotta build some synergy across the group before we can be considered elite.

I think Houston could be up there as a top group as well and Lakers get a spot too if you count Luka as a guard because Luka/Reaves is a great starting duo.

Houston basically has Sheppard who I’m high on, but he hasn’t even really played and FVV. I wouldn’t consider them at all. Luka is a G\F, but even if you count him as strictly a G it’s just him and Reeves and that’s it.

Honorable mentions would be:

Detroit (Cade, Ivey, Sasser, Beasley)
Wolves (Ant, Dillingham, DiVenzco, NAW)

I was counting Amen as a guard there - I think he gets a lot more on-ball reps next year. So basically FVV, Amen, and Reed are who I view as Houston’s guards.

bball4life · Post #7 » by **bball4life** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 5:43 pm

From the flashes we saw from Mccain and the likely trajectory of VJ, I think we could eventually rank 1 on the offensive side of the ball. I don't think our group will ever hold a candle to OKC's group on the defensive end. Remember they even have Isaiah Joe who they didn't even play because his defense doesn't quite stack up despite his elite 3p shooting.

Post #8 » by **Stanford** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 5:57 pm

Way too early to say, but I'm optimistic.

Phillybul · Post #9 » by **Phillybul** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 6:05 pm

bball4life wrote:From the flashes we saw from Mccain and the likely trajectory of VJ, I think we could eventually rank 1 on the offensive side of the ball. I don't think our group will ever hold a candle to OKC's group on the defensive end. Remember they even have Isaiah Joe who they didn't even play because his defense doesn't quite stack up despite his elite 3p shooting.

By could you mean what season 2026-27?

bball4life · Post #10 » by **bball4life** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 6:29 pm

Phillybul wrote:
bball4life wrote:From the flashes we saw from Mccain and the likely trajectory of VJ, I think we could eventually rank 1 on the offensive side of the ball. I don't think our group will ever hold a candle to OKC's group on the defensive end. Remember they even have Isaiah Joe who they didn't even play because his defense doesn't quite stack up despite his elite 3p shooting.

By could you mean what season 2026-27?

Probably more like 2027-2028. Maxey should be peaking by then and VJ's handle and shooting should be much improved. If it happens in 2026 then everything went right

Mik317 · Post #11 » by **Mik317** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 6:55 pm

no

3 of the 4 guys have to still prove it and one while an all star still has to level up himself.

LeonJordanJr24 · Post #12 » by **LeonJordanJr24** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 1:55 pm

We have no point guard ,no elite size and our lottery pick aint good enough to start and is 180 pounds with no bag. Yet we think we should be trying to discuss if we are the best backcourt in the league?? We are one of the worst teams in the league. We need a poll for that...

eyeatoma · Post #13 » by **eyeatoma** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 6:35 pm

Lol good point.

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Iverson Armband · Post #14 » by **Iverson Armband** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 7:02 pm

LeonJordanJr24 wrote:We have no point guard ,no elite size and our lottery pick aint good enough to start and is 180 pounds with no bag. Yet we think we should be trying to discuss if we are the best backcourt in the league?? We are one of the worst teams in the league. We need a poll for that...

You’re funny as hell Leo I can’t lie :lol:

Negrodamus · Post #15 » by **Negrodamus** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 7:18 pm

Yes, this is the best guard rotation in the league.

PhillyPhan69 · Post #16 » by **PhillyPhan69** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 8:28 pm

Not yet, we are not…but the potential is there.

AI_Efficiency · Post #17 » by **AI_Efficiency** » Tue Jul 1, 2025 11:44 pm

LeonJordanJr24 wrote:We have no point guard ,no elite size and our lottery pick aint good enough to start and is 180 pounds with no bag. Yet we think we should be trying to discuss if we are the best backcourt in the league?? We are one of the worst teams in the league. We need a poll for that...

This, Jesus. The number of rookies or young players in general that meaningfully contribute to winning is minuscule. Just look at San Antonio with a generational prospect in Wemby. Sixers chance at actually being competitive lies solely with Embiid’s health.

elchengue20 · Post #18 » by **elchengue20** » Wed Jul 2, 2025 7:04 pm

Too early to tell.

MCCain played 1/4 of a season and VJ hasn't played a single game yet, not even Summer League lol.

Let's wait to see them play half a season of NBA basketball at least to start putting them in these type of discussions. Makes no sense right now.

youngcrev · Post #19 » by **youngcrev** » Wed Jul 2, 2025 8:27 pm

It's the NBA, so elite individual talent trumps all.

I'd trade all 4 of them for SGA, Luka or Ant, so clearly below those guys groupings.

For just the upcoming season, give me Curry and friends as well.

Mitchell is a tier above anyone we have, so him plus Garland and to a lesser extent Ball puts them clearly ahead.

Spurs is sorta debatable. I imagine most non-bias fans are taking them.

With Hali hurt, we got Indy.

Brunson is a tier above our guys... Not sure who else we are counting as a guard there. If Bridges does, give me them. Brunson, Bridges, Clarkson, McBride.

Based on talent alone for the upcoming season, disregarding fit... Suns? Booker, Green, Beal and maybe CP3?

FlyingArrow · Post #20 » by **FlyingArrow** » Thu Jul 3, 2025 2:39 pm

We have an all-star and 3 questions marks, but all of them with promise. Maxey is an all-star, but not all-NBA. He's also young enough to be able to level up once again. He could be all-NBA this year.

McCain was the ROY favorite until his injury. Will he stay on that path? Grimes was able to shine as tank commander, but who will he be in a more suitable role? Edgecombe, like all rookies, is a mystery box until proven otherwise. They are all young enough and have enough potential to be all-stars eventually. Not all at once - there aren't enough shots to go around for that to happen, and it's too soon for that to happen this year anyway. It's possible that they all show out, with all 3 averaging 15ppg and one of them reaching 20ppg and an all-star appearance.

What is more likely... 2 of the 3 are good enough to be solid starters but not close to all-stars. The other one doesn't play as well as expected. That's still a great rotation. Maxey plus 2 solid starter-level players means we have a starter-level guard coming off the bench. Better than most teams in the league.

Great rotation, and it has the potential to be the best in the league eventually, but it's not likely to happen this year. Not when we don't even have one of the All-NBA guards. (yet)