The Philadelphia 76ers are, without a doubt, off to one of the most perplexing starts to a season by a team widely expected to contend for the championship. Sure, injuries have turned out to be a thorn on their side this early, but this level of futility is one that cannot simply be blamed to not being able to banner a healthy squad.
Yet, for all the nuances of their hopeless start — which has culminated in a 2-10 record, the second-worst win-loss card in the NBA — the 76ers have not been completely bereft of bright spots. Despite their mountainous trek moving forward, one massive silver lining for the franchise at this juncture is the play of rookie guard Jared McCain.
Expectations for McCain heading into the season ranged from G-League star to fringe NBA rotation player. The feisty guard has quickly blown those modest expectations away, playing like a star in his own right and the definitive favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
76ers fans blast NBA Analyst for possibly the worst take of the 2024-25 season
Philadelphia nabbing an absolute gem in McCain should be a motif that stand to age well for the franchise. However, someone does not seem to be too convinced about the team’s stars aligning well with the standout rookie.
What if McCain is so good Maxey becomes a trade piece? Just throwing the thought out there
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 14, 2024
Ignore the original post he replied to, by the way. That level of stupidity does not deserve an inkling of attention on this ivory-flushed interface.
Before his injury, Tyrese Maxey carried the 76ers on his back, although defenses tripled down on him with the team still not having Joel Embiid and Paul George back then. The budding superstar — if he isn’t one already — does not deserve such shortsightedness.
Maxey and McCain can absolutely coexist. The franchise has no reason to think that one’s individual success is a stain on the other. That’s just plain, mediocre thinking that obliterates a team’s ceiling.
One of the brightest young stars in the NBA, Maxey has already shown that he can be the team’s franchise centerpiece. McCain, despite his admitted overlaps skills-wise with Maxey, also has the tools to be a seamless fit next to him.
With some more improvement on the playmaking department, both Maxey and McCain can end up forming the league’s most potent backcourt to supplement an already-lethal frontcourt when healthy. Also, McCain is already competent as a scorer and ahead of schedule on the defensive end.
The Philadelphia 76ers struck gold with drafting Jared McCain. Still, his emergence should not be taken as an impetus for them to move on from Tyrese Maxey, inarguably one of the future faces of the NBA. That’s how you build a sustainable plan for both the present and future.