Jared McCain proving 76ers can stop search for answer to perceived flaw

The Philadelphia 76ers have changed course from a strategy that yielded the inevitable result of limited depth beyond a star-heavy roster. In 2024, Philadelphia drafted and retained the rights to a player in the first round for the first time since it selected Jaden Springer in 2021.

It's only preseason, but that investment is already paying dividends as rookie guard Jared McCain routinely proves that the 76ers' lack of backcourt depth has been severely exaggerated.

Philadelphia selected former Duke Blue Devils star Jared McCain at No. 16 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. It was a decision that most expected to yield long-term results, but the immediate value that McCain provides is becoming the highlight of the 76ers' preseason.

It's also providing hope that head coach Nick Nurse will have more options to work with than anticipated in a backcourt that's largely polarizing beyond All-Star Tyrese Maxey.

Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry are proven veterans, but Gordon is 35 and Lowry is 38—and no one knows exactly what to expect of them in 2024-25. Reggie Jackson continues to be a productive point guard, but he's 34 and faces similiar concerns.

McCain hasn't yet usurped them in the rotation, but if the preseason is a sign of things to come, then the 76ers could have a super sub on a rookie-scale contract.

Jared McCain proof that depth at guard could be a strength in 2024-25

McCain kicked off the preseason by scoring 15 points in a 139-84 win over the New Zealand Breakers. He shot just 5-of-14 from the field, but he was aggressive in crashing the boards and getting to his spots, tallying seven rebounds and two offensive boards while shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.

The next time out, McCain got his first taste of NBA action, posting nine points, two rebounds, a steal, and two threes in 15 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With the Big Three and the veteran guards resting, McCain stepped up in an unexpected opportunity to start. He dropped 20 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals, competing and making plays against the likes of Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White.

Rounded out by the 11 points he scored in 16 minutes during a 104-89 win over the Atlanta Hawks, McCain has taken four preseason games and utilized them as the proverbial proving grounds.

Beyond the numbers, McCain has been fearless against every caliber of opponent he's encountered. He's shot the three-ball relatively efficiently and without hesitation, and has far exceeded early expectations in terms of his ability to break a defender down and get into the paint.

There are still questions surrounding his defensive consistency and ability to regularly create against NBA-caliber players, but the early returns have been intriguing.

It remains a possibility that Nurse will favor the proven commodities with his rotations in 2024-25. In the event that injuries strike or competitive practices yield a change on the depth chart, however, McCain appears primed and ready to make an instant impact on the 76ers.

The 2024 NBA Draft was criticized as a historically poor class, but McCain is offering evidence to the contrary as Philadelphia nears a pivotal 2024-25 season.