The Philadelphia 76ers are being mocked for trading Jared McCain, especially considering they traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have one of the most stacked rosters in the league. However, the deal is perfect for them, as they added a first, cleared up their guard rotation, and will now be able to re-sign Quentin Grimes more easily.
Perhaps McCain will turn into a star. Maybe Mark Daigneault and the Thunder will get more out of him than the Sixers thought possible. But for right now, in the position the 76ers are in, this was the correct move.
No matter what the public perception of the deal is.
76ers' Jared McCain trade was a win
McCain enjoyed a great rookie season. When vibes were down in Philadelphia, he helped raise them. And for a while, it looked like he was going to be a huge part of the 76ers’ future.
However, an injury ended his season, and this year, he hasn’t been able to replicate the same success he had as a rookie. In fact, McCain hasn’t come anywhere close.
The 76ers drafted VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he’s been incredible for them. Plus, Tyrese Maxey is amazing, Quentin Grimes plays solid minutes, and Joel Embiid is back to playing consistent basketball.
By the time McCain’s time in Philly came to an end, they had sent him to the G League to get reps with the Delaware Blue Coats. That’s how far out of the rotation he fell.
The unfortunate reality of the situation, with how poorly McCain was shooting (and how uneven he is on defense), Nick Nurse didn’t have enough room to squeeze him into the rotation.
So, the 76ers decided to sell. They traded him to a team that could afford to give up draft capital on a project player who had flashed serious potential: The Thunder.
OKC sent the 76ers a 2026 first-round pick, as well as two future second-round picks in the deal. Getting any sort of draft picks is a win for the Sixers at this point.
As they look to build out their future rosters around Maxey and Edgecombe, they’re going to need as much draft capital as possible, and in the short-term, adding another first-round rookie will be a win.
They needed to balance out their roster, and as much as it hurts to trade McCain, this deal was a big-time win for the 76ers.