The Oklahoma City Thunder have added sophomore Jared McCain without giving up any of their core pieces. In fact, OKC got the rising star without letting go of any of its rotation players.
The Thunder acquired McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday in exchange for three second-round draft picks and the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round selection in a swap that figures to bolster OKC’s title defense chances.
Jared McCain Adds Serious Firepower to OKC
Before the trade, Jared McCain played in 38 of the Sixers’ 50 games this season and averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 38.1% shooting from deep. These are modest numbers, but they might not be an accurate representation of what the sophomore could bring to the table.
As a rookie last season, McCain fanned talks of a potential Rookie of the Year campaign after averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on a 38.3% clip from beyond the arc and 46% shooting overall. He was also gaining a reputation as a smooth scorer, blending deadeye shooting and crafty playmaking before a left knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the 2024–25 NBA season. He also sustained a UCL tear in his right thumb in the offseason, causing him to miss the early part of the 2025–26 NBA season.
Now healthy, McCain gives the Thunder another offensive weapon, presumably off the bench, to ease the scoring load off MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. The added firepower comes just in time, as OKC is gearing up for what’s sure to be a challenging title defense in the playoffs.
Sixers Get Draft Capital
For the Sixers, letting go of Jared McCain seems like a head-scratcher, especially after the then-rookie became one of the team’s bright spots last season. However, it appears the emergence of rookie V.J. Edgecombe and veteran Quentin Grimes made the Filipino-American hooper dispensable.
In exchange for giving up McCain, the Sixers get draft capital in the form of three future picks, including one in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is shaping up to be a deep one. There is, however, no assurance that Philly will get better with these picks, although it pays to have some in case a big trade is in the offing.
