The 2024-25 season was a complete and utter disaster for the Philadelphia 76ers. They missed the playoffs for the first time since Joel Embiid’s rookie season amid a litany of injuries to him and his star teammates, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.
The only bright spot was rookie guard Jared McCain, who the team took with the 16th pick in the NBA Draft. He showed true star potential and was the runaway Rookie of the Year favorite before a torn meniscus ended his season.
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His return to the court this season was highly anticipated, but unfortunately a torn ligament in his thumb delayed his comeback.
McCain struggled to find his rookie groove in his second season in limited minutes due to a deep guard rotation in Philadelphia, headlined by Maxey and No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe.
Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) and guard Tyrese Maxey (0)Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
(Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
Just as the outspoken sharpshooter was beginning to turn a corner, the 76ers made the stunning move to trade him to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick and three second-round picks.
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While McCain has spoken highly of the city and expressed his everlasting love for the fans, it didn’t stop him from speaking out about the organization.
During an appearance with popular content creator PlaqueBoyMax, the newest Thunder member made a song where he says, “Can’t believe they gave me up. It’s cool, I’ma show ‘em what’s up”
This line comes immediately after another where he explicitly warns the 76ers about what would happen in a potential playoff matchup.
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McCain is all about positivity and being authentically himself, which makes it even more surprising that he publicly blasted his former team in this fashion.
The city of Philadelphia was incredibly excited about the future, with a potential three-headed snake of guards, consiting of McCain, Maxey and Edgecombe.
Now, Oklahoma City gets their hands on another blue-chip prospect, adding to their historically impressive stockpile of assets.
With back-to-back games of double-figure scoring for McCain, he is fianlly starting to find his footing with the Thunder while some of their stars, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, recover from injury.
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This already seemed like a risky move for Philadelphia, and it should make them more uneasy that the player they traded seems determined to make them pay.
Related: 76ers GM Daryl Morey Makes Jared McCain Trade Admission on Friday
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.