Why the 76ers' Jared McCain Trade Is Looking Smarter by the Day
When the Philadelphia 76ers sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the trade deadline, the reaction was swift and loud - and not in their favor. Critics questioned the timing, the return, and the optics of dealing a promising young guard to the defending champs. But as the dust settles and the games roll on, that bold move is starting to look more like a calculated win than a misstep.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about McCain falling flat. In fact, his numbers in Oklahoma City - albeit in limited minutes - have ticked up from what he was producing in Philly.
But that’s exactly the point. Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, McCain has averaged just 18.5 minutes a night through four games.
And while he’s flashed some of the scoring punch that made him a first-round pick, OKC hasn’t carved out a defined role for him yet. That’s telling.
For the Sixers, this trade wasn’t about giving up on talent - it was about timing and value. And they nailed both.
Philadelphia landed Houston’s first-round pick this year, plus three future second-rounders from Oklahoma City. That’s a significant return for a player who, while still developing, had seen his trajectory stall.
Injuries chipped away at his scoring rhythm, and his playmaking - already considered a work in progress - didn’t take the leap the team hoped for in Year 2. Add in the emergence of VJ Edgecombe, and suddenly McCain’s long-term fit in Philly’s backcourt became a question, not a certainty.
This is where the Sixers’ front office deserves credit. Rather than holding onto McCain and hoping for a turnaround that might never come, they moved decisively.
They turned a player trending toward a bench role into a package that gives them flexibility - and, more importantly, options. In a league where roster construction is as much about cap management and draft capital as it is about raw talent, that’s a savvy play.
It’s easy to focus on potential and upside, especially with young players. But teams that win consistently - the ones that build sustainable contenders - know when to pivot. The Sixers saw a logjam forming in the backcourt, recognized McCain’s ceiling might not match their evolving timeline, and pulled the trigger.
Now, with a war chest of picks and a clearer path forward, Philly has positioned itself to make more moves - whether that’s in the draft, via trade, or in free agency. And as McCain continues to search for his role in OKC, the Sixers can feel confident they made the right call at the right time.
It might not have been the popular move, but it’s starting to look like the smart one.