Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Philadelphia 76ers were believed to have one of the best guard rotations in the NBA. Thirty-four games into the year, however, that optimism has begun to fade, with Jared McCain showing no signs of breaking out of his sophomore slump.
The guard has yet to build on his short-lived rookie campaign, during which he eclipsed 15 points per game. His deadeye three-point shooting and physical drives to the basket that once dazzled fans have come few and far between this season. McCain’s slump has shed light on his defensive struggles, forcing Nick Nurse to further rely upon VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes.
The sophomore is averaging 6.9 points on 45.2% true shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists through 25 contests, in which he started once. Coming off the bench should’ve provided McCain with more leeway to play through mistakes and find rhythm. Instead, it displayed how far along he is from returning to form.
McCain’s processing when attacking off the dribble has come and gone throughout the year. The guard lets defenses speed him up, especially in transition where he forces contested shots at the rim. While he has scored at the basket, overpowering defenders for well-earned twos, it’s punctuated by flurries of missed shots. McCain’s shot selection probing off the bounce has contributed to his 13.8% true-shooting decrease from last season.
His on-ball troubles would be less notable if he remained elite from beyond the arc. That hasn't been the case, however, with McCain shooting 32.2% from deep on 3.6 attempts. The guard positions himself well off the ball and takes quality shots off the catch, but they simply haven't fallen. Between his shooting downtick and ball-handling struggles, it's unreasonable for Nurse to run actions through McCain.
To worsen matters, the six-foot, two-inch guard is struggling to hold his own defensively. While McCain has improved at jarring the ball loose, that hasn't made up for his size disadvantage and inadequate point-of-attack defense. These deficiencies shortened McCain’s leash, logging just 19.1 minutes, as Nurse favors two-way impact. He struggled with perimeter defense last year as well, but his offensive talents outweighed it. Now, it's a different story.
McCain received a green light in his rookie season because injuries depleted Philadelphia's top-end talent. Nurse must prioritize Edgecombe and Grimes, despite his struggles last month, to give the 76ers their best chance of victory. Edgecombe is Philadelphia’s starting shooting guard–a role many thought McCain would have this season–and Grimes is its sixth-man, averaging 13.5 more minutes than the sophomore. The second-year guard has to get in where he can fit in and that starts with reading the game–not reacting.
McCain played just 48 games through two seasons, so growing pains are natural with him yet to complete a full NBA season. His offensive skillset can aid Philadelphia long-term, but it’s not in a position where it can compromise winning for the sake of player development. If McCain can’t thrive in a scaled-down role, it’s unreasonable to give him more responsibility. Although, there are 48 games left–a lot of time for him to figure it out.