The Philadelphia 76ers fanbase may be getting flashbacks to their brutal end to the 2024-25 season, as injuries have ravaged their roster, leaving them extremely shorthanded against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, and Paul George were all out, and as expected, they got blown out by the Cavs, 115-101, in a game that wasn't as close as the final score line would indicate.
Making matters worse is that the specter of a transaction that could haunt the 76ers franchise for a while is making its presence felt. Earlier on the night, the 76ers jumbotron showed the team's almost unrecognizable starting lineup against the Cavs, with Cameron Payne starting at point guard amid the team's injury woes. The problem, however, is that instead of showing a picture of Payne on the graphic, they instead put a picture of Jared McCain in his place.
Yes — the same McCain the 76ers traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last month at the trade deadline.
Via Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire:
I look up at the Jumbotron during starting intros and…that’s not Cam Payne #Sixers pic.twitter.com/m8QOtpzFlg
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) March 9, 2026
The 76ers could use Jared McCain just about now
The 76ers believed that they have enough guard depth to the point that they were comfortable with trading away McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a few draft picks.
However, in today's NBA where injury problems persist every single day, the 76ers could have held on to that depth, at least until the end of the season. Instead, the 76ers decided to duck the tax, get a few picks for McCain, and sacrificed a valuable young member of their core in the process.
Amid the 76ers' injuries, someone like McCain could have stepped up and taken on lead duties the way he did when he flourished during his rookie campaign. But now, the Thunder are benefitting from McCain's excellent outside shooting, leaving Philly with nothing but reminders of what they used to have, but no longer do.
