The 76ers Deserve Endless Shame for Handing OKC Jared McCain

What do you give someone who already has everything?

That’s the predicament the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, find themselves in, as they are up 2-1 in the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs following a gigantic road win on Friday.

For a team that is already seen as the next dynasty in a league that thrives off dynasties, the Thunder were already in a marvelous position heading into 2026, with so much depth that their bench players could have qualified for the playoffs.

And then, at the trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers traded young sharpshooter Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for a 2026 first-round pick (No. 22) and a few second-rounders in future years.

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At the time, it already seemed like a strange trade, seeing as McCain looked like a strong contender for Rookie of the Year the previous campaign before going down with an injury. Although he was slow getting back to the form he first had when entering the NBA, it felt as if Philadelphia had given up on the 22-year-old before he could even find his footing in the league.

On Friday, McCain won the trade for the Thunder without the Sixers even drafting a single player, as the sophomore player dropped 24 points against the Spurs to help the Thunder take a massive victory in the conference finals.

When the Sixers traded McCain, team general manager Daryl Morey said they thought he was moving McCain at his possible highest value.

To the surprise of no one, it seems the defending champions had a better understanding of McCain’s value than Philadelphia, which was embarrassed by the New York Knicks in the playoffs.

“It’s never to prove anybody wrong,” McCain said after his Game 3 triumph. “I try to keep a positive outlook. I like proving my support system right.”

Although McCain won’t criticize Morey or Philadelphia, saying he drafted him in the first place, I’ll do it for him.

Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers should be shamed endlessly for their handling of one of the brightest young talents in the game.

The Oklahoma City Thunder already had every sort of weapon known to basketball mankind, and the Sixers handed them another one.

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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 5:29 PM.