With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Philadelphia 76ers have made their first deal, sending young sharpshooter Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for four draft picks, first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Sixers will receive a 2026 first-round pick from the Houston Rockets, the most favorable 2027 second-round pick from Oklahoma City, Houston, Indiana, or Miami, a 2028 second-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks, and a 2028 second-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It is a bevy of picks that the Sixers received that cannot be denied. Still, to trade away a former first-round pick who has displayed an elite trait a year after selecting him and while his value is arguably at an all-time low following back-to-back injuries is undoubtedly a questionable decision.
By trading away McCain, the Sixers have once again successfully ducked the luxury tax, something star Joel Embiid specifically spoke out against if it meant losing talent.
“Obviously, we've been ducking the tax the last couple of years, so hopefully we keep the same team," Embiid said. "I love all the guys that are here. I think we got a shot. So hopefully, I don't know what they're gonna do, but I hope that at least we got a chance to just go out and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and vibes are great. So yeah, like I said in the past, we've been, I guess, ducking the tax so hopefully we would think about improving because I believe we have a chance.”
If this is a precursor to a secondary, specifically larger move, it would certainly change the perspective on the deal.
McCain quickly rose to become the favorite for the rookie of the year award last season before suffering a torn meniscus that ended his season prematurely. As he attempted to begin his bounce-back sophomore season, McCain suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb, delaying his return and setting back his ramp-up.
This season, McCain has averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in fairly inconsistent minutes, as Nick Nurse has prioritized playing two-way players at the sacrifice of shooting and player development.
McCain was a highly valuable pick, a true success story for Daryl Morey in the 2024 NBA Draft. After trading him away to the reigning NBA Champions, the eyes of Sixers fans everywhere, and more notably franchise star Joel Embiid, are squarely fixed on what Morey will do next, and they will surely demand something spectacular after this decision.
