The Oklahoma City Thunder are going through a stretch where they just can’t do anything wrong, and that includes moves made during the trade season. They’ve basically been #1 in the West throughout the season, but in February, they decided to add another solid piece to their arsenal in Jared McCain, who has since proved to be a valuable addition to the roster.
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McCain, who the Thunder obtained from the 76ers earlier in the season, dropped 26 points in his squad’s 121-92 stomping of the Nets earlier this week. The 22-year-old only provides another spark at guard on a team filled with fiery guards. He could be a secret weapon as the No. 1-seed approaches the postseason in just a few weeks.
In fact, McCain was such a good pickup for the Thunder and such a bad loss for the Sixers that it’s becoming a narrative around the league. Analyst Kevin O’Connor spoke about it on the latest edition of his podcast, explaining how McCain has fit into OKC’s offensive rotation perfectly.
“He’s just a perfect fit. It’s seamless. It’s like he’s been there all year long already. That’s what it looks like watching Jared McCain on the Thunder with the movement off-ball and just the flow he brings and the crispness of his actions and handoffs,” O’Connor began.
It’s something that McCain used to watch Tyrese Maxey do with Joel Embiid all the time while he was on the bench in Philadelphia. McCain even jested in an interview about how it looked fun, as if to say, ‘I wonder why Philly isn’t using me that way?’
O’Connor caught that and wondered if that was a playful jab at Sixers coach Nick Nurse. “I don’t think he meant it as a shot at Nick Nurse. I highly doubt he did. But it sure felt like it because it’s the damn truth.”
It’s still so hard to believe the Sixers dealt Jared McCain to the Thunder. I can’t get over it! https://t.co/gIIIYn39PT pic.twitter.com/PLbSUx6XJb
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) March 20, 2026
“How did Nick Nurse use Maxey in that way for Philadelphia and then just discard McCain in the rotation and not see the potential there” asked O’Connor. “It boggles my mind.”
It’s something that has boggled the minds of many in the league, but that’s just become Philly’s identity these days. They don’t see the pieces for success until well after they are gone, and misuse them when they have them anyway.
Not the Thunder. They’ve utilized every single player for every single moment. “Day one it looked like he was there all year. And now they’re 18 games in and he looks even better,” added O’Connor. That’s bad news for the rest of the West. OKC was already the Vegas-odds favorites to repeat this year at the NBA Finals. If they get someone like McCain going in crunch time, it’d be near-impossible to stop them.
