The Sixers entered Media Day on a somber note. While many questions surrounding the health of Joel Embiid and Paul George surrounded the organization, it was the recent injury to young Jared McCain that especially sank hearts in Philadelphia.
McCain suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb during practice on Thursday, putting the beginning of his season in jeopardy just when he was hoping to make his return from season-ending meniscus surgery.
Speaking with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey during the team's Media Day availability, there was no update as of the early afternoon.
"No, he's still consulting with specialists," Morey said: "With the hand, there's doctors specialized in everything, but it always seems like hand injuries are very specialized, so still gathering that feedback, but we know Jared is going to attack this just like he did the last one, and be back even better."
A vote of confidence in McCain, although it came without an actual update.
Within the hour, that would change.
ESPN's Shams Charania joined the table on NBA Today to provide an update on the young sharpshooter.
https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1971653982428058072
"Jared McCain is expected to undergo surgery on that right thumb and be sidelined approximately four to six weeks," Charania said. "He will be out to start the regular season, and then from there, you hope that he's gonna be able to make a return his season last year and ended in a devastating way.
"He was en route to potentially being the Rookie of the Year. He had the torn meniscus. He was out the rest of the season, and now his season will start off with him on the sideline, but four to six weeks is the approximate timeline he will be out after undergoing that surgery."
It's a sharp departure from the initial update, or lack thereof, but for now, it's news that should be well-received, considering the initial projection was expected to be between seven to nearly ten weeks.
Should McCain undergo the surgery within the next few days, he should be available right around Halloween, which is also the first game of the NBA Cup, give or take a week. It would not be a surprise to see McCain's recovery last on the longer side of that prediction, considering the importance McCain figures to play within the team's future.
