標籤: McCains

Oh my god, the Jared McCann trade is the gift that keeps on giving to the Philadelphia 76ers; Not quite in the way many fans would have expected.

While the red, white and blue are improbably winning without their Big 3, thanks to the big play of a different random player in every outing, McCann is thriving in Oklahoma City, looking like the player Thunder fans saw during his rookie campaign but never thought would be on their team next season.

And the worst part? Mark Dangeault’s willingness to run plays through McCann highlighted how poorly the 76ers utilized the Duke sharpshooter during his sophomore season.

Discussing his experience with Thunder veterans setting screens for him, McCann said he always loved watching Joel Embiid screen for Tyrese Maxey in two-man games, but he rarely had that chance until landing in Oklahoma City.

“It’s crazy. When I was in Philly, I used to do this with Joel Tyrese, and I was like, ‘Dang, it’s really cool out there,'” McCain said, via Justin Martinez. “So it’s really fun to be able to be a part of it. Playing with Hart, J-Will and Chet, they’re all elite legends. I’m excited to play with them.”

Jared McCain asked if he had played with a big man who could make the screening a major play, like Isaiah Hartenstein:

“It’s crazy. When I was in Philly, I used to do this with Joel Tyrese and I was like ‘Dang, it’s really cool there.’ So to be able to be a part of it… pic.twitter.com/vTsyiC1P4u

– Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) 17 March 2026

Now understandably, these comments did not sit well with many 76ers fans, who flooded Martinez’s comment section with demands for Nick Nurse’s job. Some called him incompetent, others suggested he should be “blown in the sun”, and others still took a step further, requesting a clean house, including president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and even the Harris Blitzer Group, which has long been the subject of ridicule for its cap-skirting tactics.

Will the 76ers get the last laugh? Technically, McCann is only averaging 11.4 points per game in Oklahoma City, or about four fewer points than his run in Philadelphia in 2024-25, but as he becomes more comfortable and his minutes continue to increase, that number will increase in no time, making any talk of “overselling” difficult to swallow.

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a particularly disappointing 131-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, in which Philly gave an embarrassing effort on national television in the NBC Throwback Game. And as is often the case after this type of loss, emotions can run high.

After the game, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey expressed how he feels Regarding his team’s decision to trade Jared McCann, which 76ers president Daryl Morey defended by saying they were selling high on their 2024 first-round pick.

“Jared was a close friend of ours. Great teammate. Great guy. I definitely think we miss him. Absolutely. I won’t lie and say I don’t miss Jared,” Maxey said via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But I’m happy for him. I look up to him.” [in] Ok. Sure I expect him to perform well every night.

“I’m not going to lie and say I don’t miss Jared.” pic.twitter.com/qjHNT9hJpT

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 4 March 2026

Still, Maxey said the 76ers aren’t focusing too much on what they can’t control, because that’s just the nature of the beast.

“I don’t think we’re considering it. … [But] It’s a business at the end of the day. I have seen a lot of people trading, but I don’t want to trade. You can’t pay attention to that,” Maxie said.

The 76ers could use Jared McCain right now

The reasoning behind the 76ers’ decision to trade McCain isn’t so hard to understand. They had a lot of guard depth, and with Maxey established as the main guard option for the team and VJ Edgecombe alongside him, McCain was going to perform best as the sixth man for the team.

Nonetheless, the 76ers have contending aspirations, and McCann, a guard who shoots well from beyond the arc, could help ease their depth concerns. Instead, they now have to look at McCann as another talented guard following in the footsteps of Isaiah Joe who they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Philadelphia 76ers were widely expected to make a cost-cutting move before the trade deadline, as that is how their front office has operated over the past few seasons. He has shown an aversion to paying the luxury tax, and for better or worse, he has ensured that he does not stray above the tax apron.

However, the 76ers found the tax savings they were looking for in an unexpected place. They traded their 2024 first-round pick, Jared McCann, who had shown so much promise before tearing his meniscus, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 first-round pick (from the Houston Rockets) and three second-round picks.

Now, McCain is turning his attention to the defending champion. On Friday night, he scored 21 points on 7-12 shooting from the field in the Thunder’s 105–86 win over the Brooklyn Nets. He starred for an OKC team that was missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and McCann’s emergence has given OKC more room to rest those key guys — much to the dismay of 76ers fans.

76ers fans crying over Jared McCann loss after big night for OKC

The 76ers’ decision to trade McCain was a surprising development, as it looked like he was going to be part of the team’s core for the near future, given how well he played in his rookie season.

Now, McCann is playing well for the Thunder, and 76ers fans are heartbroken that the guy they picked is working for a different team in his second year campaign.

Sixers fan RN after trade of Jared McCain https://t.co/50ysWG7DFf pic.twitter.com/QM3mv0TSnt

– Chilinwari (@chilinwari) 21 February 2026

“Jared McCann playing so well shows just how bad Nick Nurse is on this roster,” wrote X user @Youdownwith_LNV.

@TimeoutSPORTS3 said, “The Sixers gave Jared McCain practically nothing. Non-serious organization.”

@Glenjr1988 added, “I was right about Jared McCain. I mean Sam Presti traded for him.”

76ers president Daryl Morey said they were “highly sold” on McCann. Only time will tell whether this is actually the case or not. However, everything is not looking good for Philly at the moment.