The Philadelphia 76ers are trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Philadelphia 76ers made an unexpected yet major trade on Wednesday afternoon with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 76ers are trading sophomore guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a 2026 Houston Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
"BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN," Charania posted to X.
This is a huge win for the Thunder, as McCain was playing like the Rookie of the Year in the 2024-2025 season. He averaged 15.3 points and 2.6 assists on 46% shooting as a rookie in Philadelphia, so Thunder GM Sam Presti and company are essentially gambling on his potential.
He joins a backcourt led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lugentz Dort, Cason Wallace, and others.
McCain has taken a steep drop-off this season, averaging just 6.6 points on 38.5% shooting in 37 appearances. However, he was performing at a higher level in recent weeks, including a 17-point performance on Jan. 27 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The biggest reason for this move for Philadelphia is to duck the luxury tax. By trading away McCain's $4.2 million salary for no money in return, it puts the 76ers under the tax. Prior to this move, they were roughly $1.3 million over it.
This trade will also allow Philadelphia to convert surprise forward Dominick Barlow to a standard contract.
The deal also signals a heavy confidence in guard Quentin Grimes to break out of his slump. Grimes is the hopeful X-factor of this 76ers team, but he's failed to meet those expectations in recent months, not recording more than 20 points since Dec. 5.
Philadelphia's backcourt was filled with talent prior to this move, so it's understandable why McCain was the player to go. He now has the opportunity to learn under the NBA's top guard in Oklahoma City, where he can potentially win a championship in just his second season.
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