Ahead of Thursday's deadline, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded for Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain in a deal that included four draft picks from the treasure trove of assets that GM Sam Presti has had saved over the years. While trade rumors surrounding the Thunder were linked to a center, Oklahoma City acquired Mason Plumlee from the Charlotte Hornets in a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls.
However, the Thunder's trade for Plumlee, in exchange for Ousmane Dieng and a future second-round pick from the Hornets, was likely made to open a roster spot for McCain. The Thunder sent back four draft picks, including three second-rounders. Unless Oklahoma City makes a third deal before Thursday's 3 PM EST deadline, the defending champions are expected to waive Plumlee, who's on an expiring deal, once the trade is finalized.
Dieng will be joining the Bulls in a deal that landed the Hornets Coby White. At the same time, McCain will carve out a role with the Thunder, and it'll most likely be as soon as possible, considering the plethora of injured Thunder players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suffered an abdominal injury that will keep him sidelined through the All-Star break.
He joins a crowded backcourt of Thunder injuries to guards Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and Lu Dort, all of whom were ruled out of Oklahoma City's matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. After playing in only his third game back from a calf injury, Isaiah Hartenstein suffered an abrasion in his right eye during a 128-92 win against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
The Thunder wasted no time in trading for a serviceable guard with a bright future ahead of him. After a torn ligament in his right thumb delayed his NBA debut last season, McCain earned early consideration for Rookie of the Year. Then, a torn meniscus ended his season in December 2024.
He averaged 15.3 points on 46.0% shooting, including 38.3% from deep, and 2.6 assists in 23 games. This season, McCain, amidst a crowded 76ers backcourt, took on a decreased role in his first 37 games. McCain's 25.7 minutes per game from last season dipped to 16.8 this year, while averaging 6.6 points on 38.5% shooting, and 2.0 rebounds.
Grading Thunder's trade with 76ers
Thunder GM Sam Presti cashed in a handful of assets for Jared McCain, a second-year guard with plenty of upside, who should fit in nicely in head coach Mark Daigneault's offense.
76ers receive: 2026 first-round pick (via Rockets), 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick (via Bucks), and 2028 second-round pick (OKC's own)
Thunder receives: Jared McCain
This is one of the many reasons future assets are imperative in the NBA, allowing a young team like the Thunder to upgrade its supporting cast around a championship core in All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, all of whom are dealing with mid-season injuries. Fortunately for the Thunder, none appear to be long-term injuries, keeping the defending champion's trajectory of making another deep postseason run in play.
McCain undoubtedly helps with that, considering his catch-and-shoot numbers and tremendous upside from the 76ers to the Thunder via trade. The sophomore guard was an elite catch-and-shoot threat, shooting 42.1% on 160 attempts in his final season in college. McCain's shooting translated at the NBA level, where he made 38.3% of his threes in his rookie season.
This season, McCain's three-point percentage took a slight dip (37.8), while his attempts dropped from 5.8 to 3.2 this season. With the Thunder, McCain's attempts from beyond the 3-point arc should settle for somewhere in the middle. His shooting splits, coupled with his quick release, bode well with Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, and the rest of the Thunder backcourt.
Isaiah Joe leads the defending champions as its most efficient 3-point shooter (40.2%), with at least five players shooting at 36.0% or better. McCain's outside touch should fit in with All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (39%), Aaron Wiggins (38.7%), Cason Wallace (36.7%), and Lu Dort (36%).
Final Thunder trade grade
For a team with the potential to become the NBA's first back-to-back champions since the 2018 Warriors, these are the kinds of moves you make with the assets you've saved for well beyond its 2025 title. Hoarding draft picks while half your team is in recovery from respective injuries could have been a colossal mistake, especially if the Thunder are to lose one or two of its shooters that complement its top scorers in Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and Williams.
Thunder trade grade: A
