For the first time since the shocking July trade, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics faced off in a game setting. It wasn’t quite the real deal, since it was a preseason matchup that didn’t include Jaylen Brown, among others, but Paul George rolled out on the court and faced his former team.
George and Brown were the two stars swapped in the deal, and their exits couldn’t have gone any differently. Since Brown joined the Sixers, a lot has been made about his relationship with his former team. The veteran forward certainly has a chip on his shoulder due to the way he went out, and could potentially have a fractured relationship with his former co-star Jayson Tatum.
While Paul George’s tenure surely didn’t meet expectations over the two years he was with the 76ers, the veteran forward didn’t leave the organization with any regrets or hard feelings. In fact, George confirmed that he’s still been in close contact with some Sixers—especially VJ Edgecombe—who George claims calls him “every other week.”
The PG-VJ Connection
Last season, Edgecombe joined the 76ers after his freshman year at Baylor. The young guard was selected No. 3 overall, and joined a 76ers team that had some valuable veterans he could learn from. Clearly, George left a lasting impression on Edgecombe, who spent his rookie season paying close attention to the 17-year NBA veteran as he navigated through the 2025-2026 NBA season.
George wasn’t an All-Star-caliber player that year. In 37 games, he averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while shooting 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from three. It certainly wasn’t the experience that the 76ers paid for, but George at least embraced the mentor role for the young Edgecombe, who will share the court with a handful of stars as a sophomore.
As a rookie, Edgecombe clocked in for 75 games with the Sixers. He averaged 43.8% from the field and hit on 35.4% of his threes. The young guard put up 16.0 points per game, along with 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
As the 2026-2027 NBA season plays out, that mentorship may fade a bit as George and Edgecombe focus on their team’s priorities. The 76ers’ sophomore will have more than enough resources within his current locker room, and George will be focused on his continued rebrand as a co-star while donning another uniform.
Still, it’s a good sign that Edgecombe is keeping in contact with a player he can learn a lot from.
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