Morey defends trading Jared McCain, betting on future draft picks over a young player's immediate impact despite fan outcry.
The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the more active teams at the NBA Trade Deadline this season.
The 76ers made two notable moves, trading Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies and, more controversially, sending Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick via Houston and three second-round picks, a decision that did not sit well with much of the fanbase.
The McCain trade, in particular, drew some heavy criticism from 76ers fans, with many questioning the move.
In the aftermath of the NBA trade deadline, 76ers president Daryl Morey addressed the move during a press conference on Friday, explaining that he believed that he sold high on McCain, sending him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I am quite confident we’re selling high,” Morey said during the press conference. “Obviously, time will tell."
He continues to explain the thinking behind the deal, saying that he believed the draft picks will help them in the future and at the deadline.
"The Jared [McCain] deal, we felt that, we see Jared as someone who is more likely to help a team in the future ... We thought that the draft picks we got will help us more in the future and could of helped us this deadline," Morey said.
McCain was stellar during his rookie season, averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 46% from the field. However, an ACL injury would cut his rookie campaign short. The 76ers finished with a 25-57 record that season.
He returned for the 2025-26 season but struggled to replicate his early success. Despite a recent hot stretch, McCain averaged just 6.6 points per game and failed to be impactful both inside the paint and beyond the arc, shooting 38.5 from the field and 37.8 from three.
McCain would ultimately be relegated to a bench sharpshooter role, and his inefficiency for the 76ers in his second year would justify the move made by Morey.
The 76ers' attempt to get under the luxury tax by giving up on a young player with high upside who had flashed significant upside remains questionable, considering the uncertainty on value in the return.
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