Why will it always feel ‘weird’ for Jared McCann to play in Philly?

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain got a standing ovation when he debuted in Monday’s 123-103 win against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. McCann returned to Philadelphia for the first time since his trade to the Thunder. He finished with 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including three triples and two assists.

After the game, McCain addressed how he navigated through emotions He said, he felt that way in his first game, according to Justin Martínez of The Oklahoman.

“A little bit. I think it will always feel weird because it happened so quickly, and it’s been almost a month. It was good to be back, but being back here will definitely always feel weird. Coming back and not being here is like a nostalgic feeling. Hopefully it will stop soon, but I still don’t feel like I have closure yet.”

All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points on 9 of 13 attempts as the Thunder had six players reach double figures, including Jalen Williams (18 points), who returned from a hamstring injury in Monday’s 20-point win.

Jared McCain expressed his appreciation to former teammates

Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Bill Streicher-Images

Thunder guard Jared McCann opened up about his return to Philadelphia, facing his former team as a member of the visiting team for the first time since their trade at the deadline. McCain will never forget the relationships he made During his time with the 76ers.

McCain said, “There are so many people in this organization that have touched me, and have been able to put a smile on my face some days. I’m very grateful for that.” “To be able to see everybody back there.” [are] I still have to meet some people. But seeing a group of guys who helped me throughout my rookie season, through my injury; It’s really great to see.”

McCann and the Thunder are on a 12-game winning streak.


#feel #weird #Jared #McCann #play #Philly

Fans roast Daryl Morey after Jared McCann moves to Thunder again

It took very little time for Jared McCann to carve out a role with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being shipped off to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline.

McCann helped the Thunder destroy the Brooklyn Nets 121-92 on Wednesday, scoring a game-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, including five three-pointers. He also had three rebounds and two assists.

With another strong performance from McCann, fans couldn’t help but roast 76ers general manager Daryl Morey for letting the high-scoring guard go.

As a reminder, Morey had said that he was “completely confident” that they were making a “high sell” with the decision to move McCain.

@grandepadre94 said, “Daryl Morey might be the best GM the Thunder have ever had.”

@LobTies said, “We all know Daryl Morey doesn’t like watching Jared McCain play well.”

“Daryl Morey is hellbent on making OKC even better, brother,” Posted @dh__32.

“It’s unbelievable that Daryl Morey still has a job,” @winningdream said.

@JerrySisco8 commented, “Daryl Morey has always been an idiot.”

@BKB639 predicted, “Jared McCann will have a big game in a meaningful playoff series, and we’re all going to talk about how much of an idiot Daryl Morey is.”

When the 76ers sent the 22-year-old playmaker away after particularly impressing in his rookie stint, many were surprised, including McCann himself. In exchange, Philadelphia received four draft picks from Oklahoma City.

McCain missed the first month of his sophomore year due to a right side injury and initially struggled to regain his form, while also seeing a reduced role following the arrival of VJ Edgecombe. Nevertheless, many considered McCain an important asset. But apparently, Morey didn’t see it that way.

This season, the former Duke standout already has four 20-point games with the Thunder, while only one game with the Sixers.


#Fans #roast #Daryl #Morey #Jared #McCann #moves #Thunder

Jared McCann keeps it up again on 76ers in national TV showcase vs. Timberwolves

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder adding Jared McCann to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers is a gift that keeps on giving for the defending champions, as the second-year guard helped lead the way to a 116-103 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. McCain connected on his fourth and fifth 3-pointers in a two-minute span, cutting the Thunder’s lead to 15 in the fourth quarter.

McCain finished with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including five threes and a steal. For a three-player Deep Thunder team that finished with 15+ points in Sunday’s win, Isaiah Joe’s 20 points (five threes) led the second unit, and Alex Caruso added 17 points, the trio combined for 52 points, including 11 threes. That was enough support to keep the Timberwolves away.

Then, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished his 128th consecutive 20+ point game, scoring a 3-point game in the final minutes that brought him to 20 points. He also finished with 10 assists, two steals and a block. The Thunder have won eight consecutive games, including hard-fought victories against the Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets during their four-game home stand.

What Mark Daigneault has learned about the Thunder’s Jared McCain

Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) points after scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagen Images

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault continues to learn about Jared McCann during the second-year guard’s first month with his new team. For Daigneault, it’s McCann’s offense that stands out the most, as he fits in seamlessly with his new Thunder teammates.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

McCann has made at least one 3-pointer in 14 of his first 15 appearances for the Thunder. He is averaging 11.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 41.2/39.5/89.4 percent shooting splits.


#Jared #McCann #76ers #national #showcase #Timberwolves

Alex Caruso explains why Jared McCann is a better fit for OKC than the 76ers

Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso addressed Jared McCann’s impact in his first 12 games with his new team, and explained why he is a better fit for the defending champions than the Philadelphia 76ers. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discusses what he has learned about McCann during his first dozen games.

Caruso gave the most credit to the Thunder front office, trade for McCain is ahead of this year’s deadline, he said, according to The Young Man and the Three podcast.

“For us, we do what we do as players, but the front office, as far as the fit, that’s probably the biggest compliment they can give me,” Caruso said. “The way Jared plays is like a mini I-Joe, like Isaiah Joe Light, not like the same player, but coming from the same movements, but the way they’re able to use their skill sets to shoot and move.”

Alex Caruso used an example from the Thunder’s 121–113 win against the Cleveland Cavs, where McCann drove to the rim, passed the ball to Joe before shifting to the corner for a deep three. For Caruso, it’s that style of play if the 76ers didn’t run their offense through McCann.

“I don’t think Philly played that way,” Caruso said. “I think they’re a lot more traditional because of Joel [Emiid]And, of course, Tyrese [Maxey] Very much on the ball. But for us, it is like freedom of movement. An open man is a right man. I think it benefits his game.”

McCain is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5% shooting, including 39.5% from deep, and 2.2 rebounds per game with the Thunder.

Mark Daigneault on learning about Thunder’s Jared McCain

Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) talks to guard Isaiah Joe (11) before the game against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagen Images

The apparent departure of 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to the Thunder’s Jared McCann ended the second-year guard’s tenure, and marked a new start with the defending champions. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault discussed McCann’s fitness after practice on Friday and told reporters how he has learned about his game so far.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

Daigneault and the Thunder will host the Warriors on Saturday at Paycom Center.


#Alex #Caruso #explains #Jared #McCann #fit #OKC #76ers

How Jared McCann thrived after 76ers GM Daryl Morey’s ‘high sell’ comment

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCann cried when Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey traded him. The news came as a shock to the second-year guard, who celebrated his 22nd birthday in a city he never thought he’d call home. Still, McCann has shined since joining the Thunder. Amidst an increased role due to a plethora of injuries, he has been a constant source of inspiration off coach Mark Daigneault’s bench.

McCann is averaging 14.0 points on 50.0% shooting, including 50% from deep on 9 of 18 attempts, along with 3.5 rebounds in 21.2 minutes over his last four games with the Thunder. He scored 10 points to go along with a season-high 21 points in a 105-86 win against the Brooklyn Nets, including a pair of threes, three rebounds and a steal in Sunday’s 121-113 win against the Cleveland Cavs.

Without All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe joined the Thunder’s starting lineup, while McCann and Jaylin Williams combined to lead the bench with 20 points. Against a healthy Cavs team led by All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden, Joe’s 22 points, including six threes and a career-high five steals, led the Thunder to victory.

After the win, Joe explained how the addition of McCann has opened up creative opportunities for the Thunder’s offense, which is finding ways to win without three of its top four scorers.

“It puts the defense in a dilemma whether to help or not, and it kind of creates driving lanes, even when they went box-and-1, and they made that run, we were still getting really good looks,” Joe said. “I think Lou got some wide-open shots – Jay-Will, Chet. The shots didn’t fall, but given that severity, we just try to find ways to either get looks, take shots, and a lot of times it creates opportunities for other guys, and creates other opportunities for everybody else.”

Joe is 33 of 65 (50.8%) from deep in February, including 18 of 31 in his last four games. The Thunder have won four of their last five tries without Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Mitchell. Meanwhile, the Sixers are leading 1-4.

Jared McCann felt ‘all the emotions’ after trade with Thunder

Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) shoots a three-point basket while defending Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) during the first half at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagen Images

76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was confident about trading Jared McCann to the Thunder for a 2026 first-round pick and two future second-round picks. While the 76ers had a bit of a logjam at the guard position, as rookie VJ Edgecombe took over a dominant role over McCann, many fans felt it was too early to give up on the second-year guard.

Moray felt differently and wasn’t afraid to say itAs they did, according to NBC Sports Philly.

Morey said, “I’m pretty confident we were selling high. Obviously, time will tell, but the only other high point, and we weren’t looking to sell, I would say frankly.” “Teams came to us with aggressive offers for him, and you can say, yes, it’s because he’s a good player. I agree with that. We thought this return was above what we could have gotten, for the future value to our franchise. So the only high point would have been his performance last season. But otherwise, we think we’ve done well this time.”

McCain couldn’t believe it. He revealed how he found out about his trading days after the deal was made.

“We were all on the bus to the airport, and I just got a call. I had no idea. I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen. There was nothing, and I got the call, and just went and told everybody. I went to Tyrese [Maxey] First of all, and it was very emotional,” McCain said.

However, his confidence never wavered after the 76ers said a hollow goodbye to Daryl Morey after trading McCann before this year’s deadline.

McCain said, “I allow myself to feel all the emotions. It’s natural. Give myself grace through the process.” “But you move fast. I got to L.A. and then had to come straight here. It’s a little bit of both. It’s a balance you have to work on.”

The Thunder will travel to face the Raptors on Tuesday.


#Jared #McCann #thrived #76ers #Daryl #Moreys #high #sell #comment