The Philadelphia 76ers are getting closer to a point where they can start having real conversations with teams about trades. After all, with most trade restrictions getting lifted in just a few days, the front office will not get the opportunity to perhaps make some much-needed upgrades at vital areas, especially in the wings and the frontcourt.
Unfortunately, they do not really have a realistic shot at making a clear upgrade without parting with one of their core guys. No team will realistically be lured into making a deal with them for some of their players on expiring deals. And while fans will probably hate this idea, Jared McCain is someone who can fetch them someone who can be a real rotational upgrade.
McCain is starting to play well after an atrocious stretch to mark his post-injury return. While his minutes and usage are still not as considerable as they should be, it is starting to become apparent that the coaching staff has recognized the indisputable fact that there is indeed a logjam in the backcourt.
Trading Jared McCain is the clear way for the 76ers to get a real upgrade
Suffice to say that McCain is not as indispensable as he was a year ago. With the 76ers now fully invested in their backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, peppered in with some Quentin Grimes, opportunities for the sophomore to reprise his old form have become few and far between.
To best optimize his value, he might be someone the front office can leverage to get their hands on players they normally would not be able to acquire. By himself, he is already a desirable asset. Coupled with another player, the 76ers could have an even more attractive package for teams.
Philadelphia is nowhere near contention as currently constructed — not when you watch Oklahoma City, Detroit, and the other top-tier teams in the West play the way they do. A lot of that could be tossed up to injuries still ravaging the 76ers, but it also stems from a lot of funky lineup configurations due to the imbalance that still affects them on a nightly basis.
As such, the 76ers could be forced into deciding Jared McCain’s fate as one of the franchise’s building blocks much sooner than everyone expected, and while it may be a point of derision for many, at best, it could pay huge dividends.