Ever since Quentin Grimes broke out with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, there has been much debate about who should start at shooting guard. That’s because Jared McCain had an equally, if not more, impressive start to the year. However, McCain’s role in the upcoming season may have been spoiled by FanDuel Sportsbook.
McCain is an early 6MOTY candidate
FanDuel released their Sixth Man of the Year odds recently, and McCain is in a three-way tie with Anfernee Simons and Naz Reid at +1,200. Bradley Beal (+1,000) and DeAndre Hunter (+600) came in front of the second-year guard.
Whether you believe McCain should start or not, he’d undeniably give Philadelphia a huge lift coming off the bench. It took McCain little time to prove that he was much more than a mere spot-up shooter last season. He showed promising flashes of three-level shot creation and playmaking, especially out of the pick-and-roll. With such offensive prowess, McCain would be the offensive engine that the 76ers’ reserve unit greatly needs.
If McCain started, he’d have less freedom playing alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George. A lot of people, including myself, believe the sky is the limit for McCain, so it’s essential for him to get as many on-ball reps as possible. He’d have the wiggle room to develop various aspects of his game and endure growing pains serving as a sixth man, rather than being reduced to a spot-up shooter in the starting five.
This has proven successful before
Let’s use James Harden as an example. Before joining the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2012, Harden established himself as one of the best sixth men in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was able to develop at a linear rate because he had the freedom to run the offense while Kevin Durant and/or Russell Westbrook rested. Not to mention, Harden frequently closed games as a starter, which is exactly what could happen to McCain.
Yes, Harden had stronger ball-handling ability than McCain at this stage of his career, but the premise still stands. Although Harden struggled against the Miami Heat in the 2011-12 Finals, his presence off the bench was instrumental in Oklahoma City’s playoff run. I’m not deeming McCain as the next Harden, but his Thunder tenure proves this pathway to stardom is legitimate.
It remains to be seen how Nick Nurse will utilize the 76ers’ back-court, but McCain’s presence will be felt either way.