Upon returning from a torn meniscus and a thumb injury that further delayed his comeback bid, Jared McCain looked like a shell of his former self. The Philadelphia 76ers guard lit up the NBA last year when he took on a larger role amid his team's plethora of injury woes, but to start the 2025-26 season, he found himself playing so few minutes that it looked as though he was in head coach Nick Nurse's doghouse.
In his first four games back, McCain scored a grand total of zero points on a ghastly 0-9 shooting from the field. That certainly justifies Nurse's decision to not give McCain too many minutes. But as of late, the 76ers guard is turning a corner. He's scored in double figures in four of his past five games, including in Philly's 121-102 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, a game in which he tallied 14 points, three rebounds, and five assists in 25 minutes.
With Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe synergizing well in the 76ers backcourt, not to mention Quentin Grimes always being productive when he's out there on the court, McCain may not earn himself a larger role than the team's backup point guard. But McCain wants it to be known that he feels like his old self already.
“I feel like I’m back to myself,” McCain said, per Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.
This gives the 76ers quite the luxury, especially with Joel Embiid shuttling in and out of the lineup with ongoing knee injury woes. If McCain continues to play like this, then there's no reason for Nurse to hold him back.
76ers look to survive amid Joel Embiid's injury problems
At this point, it doesn't seem as though Embiid will be fully healthy ever again. This puts quite the damper on the 76ers' hopes of contending for a title for the next few seasons.
Maxey has been brilliant all season long, and Paul George appears to be getting his sea legs back, but at this point, all Philly would want to do is survive. And who knows, perhaps come April, Embiid would be back to form and they'd be in business come playoff time.
