Daryl Morey’s final season as Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations was marred by a head-scratching trade deadline, before which he sent second-year guard Jared McCain to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder for four picks, a 2026 Houston Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks.
After the deadline passed, and the Sixers seemingly ducked the luxury tax, Morey admitted they made the McCain trade in hopes of striking an additional deal at the deadline, but “nothing materialized,” he said. He also infamously said that he was “quite confident” Philadelphia was “selling high” on McCain, a now-22-year-old who was an early NBA Rookie of the Year favorite last season before he suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.
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That deal and those post-deadline comments have been inflamed by the play of McCain in Oklahoma City, where he’s thrived in a supporting role. But the often-smiling McCain hasn’t been vengeful in the wake of a midseason move he previously described as “heartbreaking.”
Instead, he quickly came to see the transaction as a “blessing.” He maintained that unembittered energy after exploding for a playoff career-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting that helped propel his Thunder to a 123-108 road victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday. The Thunder now lead the series 2-1.
“A lot of my stuff is I try to keep a positive outlook, and I like proving my support system right,” McCain said afterward. “The people who really believe in me, I like proving them right. … And no matter what, Daryl’s still the guy that drafted me. So I’ll always have love for him for that.
“He trusted me, believed in me enough to take me at the 16th spot, so I’m forever grateful for that, no matter what.”
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McCain reiterated: “It’s never about proving anybody wrong for me. It’s always proving somebody right, proving the people who believe in me right.”
McCain’s appreciation for his former team is clear, and it’s been reciprocated. Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey, whom McCain shared a backcourt with for a season and change, showed the Duke product some love on social media Friday:
McCain showcased glimpses of stardom while he was in Philadelphia. There was a stretch early in the 2024-25 campaign when Maxey was out, and McCain took over at point. In that six-game span, McCain averaged 25.2 points, 4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44.1% from deep. In the process, he turned in 27-, 29- and 34-point performances.
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Even after Maxey returned to the lineup, McCain still registered another 30 piece. That outing against the Brooklyn Nets gave McCain seven straight 20-plus-point games and, more importantly, the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in the first five starts of a career (26), the Sixers’ record for most 3-pointers made through the first 15 games of a career (37), as well as the NBA rookie record for most consecutive games with at least three 3-pointers (8).
“From afar, I knew the kid could play,” Thunder superstar and two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame on Friday. “Before he got hurt, he had some loud games and some really big games and was good for the Sixers. And then he kind of got hurt and fell out of the rotation.
“Usually a guy like that that’s so skilled and shoots the ball that well, that stuff doesn’t leave you. It was just about him getting the confidence back, and I wanted to make sure that when he came here, he felt like he could be himself and the basketball player that he really is.”
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McCain’s role with the Sixers shrunk this season upon the arrival of 2025 No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe.
Before McCain was traded, though, he strung together a flurry of impressive outings. It didn’t take him long to make an impact with the Thunder, and his bench boost has carried over to the playoffs.
“I think it just stems from when I was younger,” McCain said of his self-belief. “My family, they gave me that confidence, my support system. I feel like I’ve played in big games, whether it’s in high school or Duke, and definitely not the Western Conference finals, but being able to take that confidence and be fearless — I love this so much, and I love what my life is right now.
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“Being able to play and contribute at this level, I never want to take it for granted. So whatever opportunity I get, I’m going to take advantage of it, and I’m going to try to execute my best.”
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