The Philadelphia 76ers definitely pulled off a huge fleece job in the 2026 NBA Draft as standout guard Labaron Philon Jr. somehow fell on their laps with the 22nd overall pick in the first round. However, buried in the hoopla around their newest prospect is the fact that the team had just proven the NBA community wrong about the ugly narrative that has hovered around them since February.
Heck, the best part is it only took them a few months when most divisive trades take years before a favorable turnaround and a narrative-flipper in favor of the immediate loser.
The 76ers were haunted by their decision to trade Jared McCain at the deadline for draft capital in the spirit of cutting costs and probably ducking the lucury tax, a sentiment further aggravated by the sophomore's impressive play for the Thunder in the playoffs. But after drafting Philon with the pick they received from OKC (via the Rockets), the 76ers might have just gotten the last laugh after all.
Philon was one of the best backcourt players and scorers in the collegiate scene, and with the 76ers in dire need of scoring depth and firepower off the bench behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, he will definitely be thrown into the fire right from the get go. But what makes this such a huge win for the franchise is that he figures to be an even better version of the man they infamously let go this year.
The 76ers get the last laugh as Jared McCain trade narrative suddenly flips in their favor
McCain remains one of the brightest young guards in the league, but his ceiling is limited by his role in Oklahoma City. Even after a splendid performance in the postseason, the Thunder simply have way too many mouths to feed in the backcourt. As such, he will most likely end up getting tethered to a suppressed role for the foreseeable future.
Philon will be in the same position, but minutes will be easier to come by for him. The 76ers could very well be forced to part with Quentin Grimes, which will free up nearly 30 minutes a night. Now, the rookie will not soak all of those up, but without a doubt, he is now poised to land a major role in his freshman campaign.
It is also worth noting that unlike McCain who already has a major injury in his track record, Philon will be coming to the league scot-free. There is very little to no injury risk with the rookie, and with the 76ers plagued by the injury bug on an annual basis, that is a very welcome addition to the program.
There is no full resolution yet, but the 76ers have already flipped the narrative in their favor. Now, people can see that their decision to trade McCain was not as arbitrary as it looked like as everyone was insisting.
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