The Thunder’s Jared McCain deal may have reached far beyond Oklahoma City, with one NBA podcast argument tying it to LeBron James’ free-agency decision and Philadelphia’s offseason overhaul.
On a recent edition of the Third Apron Podcast, host Sam Quinn called the McCain exchange between the OKC Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers perhaps the most mutually beneficial trade in the NBA last season. That’s a tough sell for Thunder fans who see a clear win: Oklahoma City gave up a few lower-value draft picks and landed a high-upside young player still on his rookie deal. But Quinn’s point was that the deal may have helped set off a chain reaction in Philadelphia.
In Quinn’s view, the trade could have been the final blow to Daryl Morey’s run as president of basketball operations in Philadelphia. And without Morey there, Quinn believes LeBron James’ path to the 76ers opened up.
"Getting Daryl Morey fired is probably what set up the offseason that [Philadelphia] just had. I don't think LeBron James is going to sign with Daryl Morey's team," Quinn speculated.
Quinn appeared to base that on business decisions more than basketball fit, though James’ history of publicly criticizing Morey on off-court matters also looms over the idea. However it came together, the theory is simple: no McCain trade, no Morey exit, and maybe no James to Philadelphia this summer.
The same move that may have nudged the 76ers into a major summer swing also made Oklahoma City’s own offseason a little easier to manage. The Thunder said goodbye to several key pieces from their title-winning group, including Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe.
That’s not a small loss. All three were mainstays in the backcourt rotation and each logged more than 20.0 minutes per game last season. On paper, replacing that kind of steady production looks dangerous, especially in Mark Daigneault’s system.
But Oklahoma City had the luxury of moving forward because players like McCain were already in place behind them. Along with Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace, McCain is now positioned as the next wave in the rotation, the direct answer to the departures of Dort, Wiggins, and Joe. Based on what they showed in the regular season and during the playoff run, the Thunder should feel good about the roles they’re stepping into.
In Other News...
Aday Mara Might Unlock A New Side Of Shais Game
Aday Mara has already given the Thunder a different kind of look in preseason, and it fits neatly alongside the way Shai Gilgeous-Alexander operates as the focal point of the offense. The rookie big has flashed as a lob threat, which matters in Oklahoma City because it adds another easy-read option for a guard who already bends defenses with his scoring gravity and patience.
If Mara can keep forcing defenders to make choices around the rim, there is a path for Gilgeous-Alexander to pile up more assists without having to change the way he naturally plays. The ripple effect has shown up with other rookies too, including Bennett Stirtz, who has been adjusting to a more off-ball role while benefiting from SGA's style, and that is part of what makes this preseason development worth watching once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Is Giving The Thunder A New Problem For Defenses
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The early returns have been hard to ignore because Mara has been productive in very few minutes, adding scoring, rebounding and rim protection while fitting neatly into the Thunders pace and spacing. Just as important, his touch around the basket has defenses having to account for him in a new way, which can open things up for everyone else. For a team always looking for another edge, the next question is how much of this new wrinkle can carry over once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Preseason Just Raised The Stakes For Two Young First-Rounders
Through two preseason games, the Thunder have already found a few early storylines worth watching, and Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz have been right in the middle of them. The two first-round picks have been among the teams most productive scorers so far, a notable development for a roster that already leans heavily on established talent and does not make minutes easy to come by.
Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber are part of the same crowd fighting for the next opening, and the competition only gets tighter from here. Both are expected to get chances this season, but with Oklahoma Citys depth and the coaching staff committed to giving everyone a fair shot, preseason production may carry extra weight as the rotation starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]