Even at this juncture, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to draw major flak for their decision to trade Jared McCain –– and it is pretty easy to see why. Despite the young guard showing so much promise, the team barely gave him real chances to get out of his injury-related rust. That the culmination of the McCain saga is a trade before his second year even ended is a huge bummer, no doubt.
Things become all the more puzzling when you consider the fact that the 76ers seemingly placed higher importance on keeping Quentin Grimes over McCain. Sure, the former might be more vital to them at this very juncture, but to put him on a pedestal over such a promising prospect like the latter is simply wrong.
Even worse is the fact that Grimes is a legitimate flight risk for the 76ers this offseason. After failing to get a pay raise last summer, he is set to hit the open market once again. Now, whether Philly’s brain trust intends to keep him in the fold remains to be seen, but certainly, there are teams that will be lining up for his services as a bench catalyst.
Again, emphasis on “bench catalyst”.
The 76ers gravely erred in prioritizing Quentin Grimes over Jared McCain
Much of Grimes’ stock was hinged on his performance last season, when he feasted with the 76ers by capitalizing on his boosted usage due to the team missing nearly every high-end player in the rotation. That is also the main reason why he and his camp desired a lucrative deal during the offseason.
But this time around, he has been largely underwhelming due to his seeming failure to adjust and recalibrate to a smaller role. The 76ers have him entrenched as their resident sixth man, yet even that configuration feels too generous for someone who has been quite inefficient this season.
Even when McCain was still on the team, Nick Nurse and his staff would deploy Grimes for extended durations while leaving little room for the sophomore to showcase his skills and properly regain his rhythm. That Grimes was the one who eventually remained on the roster is quite unfathomable. It only reinforces the notion that this team is not yet fully committed to their long-term plans.
Now, Jared McCain is thriving in Oklahoma City whereas Quentin Grimes remains a mixed bag for the 76ers. It would be funnier if the latter ends up leaving Philly anyway, and at that point, the front office deserves even more ridicule from the public.