Following the 2026 NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough spot. The recent resurgence of the traded Jared McCain hasn’t helped them.
One of the Sixers’ former franchise legends, Charles Barkley, sent some praise McCain’s way. After an impressive matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, McCain reminded the NBA world what he’s capable of when healthy and in the right situation.
Barkley credited OKC’s Sam Presti for picking McCain up unexpectedly at the deadline.
Charles Barkley Rips The Sixers While Praising McCain
GettyJared McCain was recently traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Philadelphia 76ers.
“That’s a nice trade. Sam Presti wants you, you know you can play,” Barkley said, according to Daily Thunder’s Brandon Rahbar.
“I’m not sure why Philadelphia let him go. That’s like going from hell to heaven right there. He’s playing for the champs. You got a chance to play for the championship.”
The Thunder’s February 20 matchup against the Brooklyn Nets featured a 22-minute showing off the bench for McCain. Now that he’s seeing more than 20 minutes of action, McCain’s production is climbing. He turned in his best showing yet against Brooklyn,
In 22 minutes, McCain shot 7-12 from the field, knocking down 3-6 shots from three-point land. McCain produced 21 points, four rebounds, and one steal. The Thunder dominated with a 105-86 win.
Did The Sixers Make A Mistake?
It’s way too early to tell—but the narrative doesn’t look great for Daryl Morey and his front office right now.
The Sixers cut ties with McCain very early in his career. When the team picked him up out of Duke in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, McCain quickly found himself playing a full-time role. He appeared in 23 games through the first two months of the season.
More NBA News: 76ers Catch Heat From NBA Fans After Jared McCain’s Big Night
McCain was shooting 46 percent from the field and knocking down 38 percent of his threes to average 15.3 points per game. He went down with a season-ending knee injury in December. At the time of his injury, McCain was a Rookie of the Year favorite. He seemed to have a bright future in Philadelphia. Now, his future is in Oklahoma.
The Sixers sent McCain to the Thunder after a 37-game run during his sophomore effort. He posted averages of 6.6 points while shooting 38 percent from the field. It was a down year, which led McCain to get shipped out for multiple draft picks.
Many assumed the idea to acquire draft picks would lead to a follow-up move, considering the Sixers have been shorthanded and intend to play playoff basketball in the spring. Instead, they held on to the draft compensation, and replaced McCain with Cam Payne in the free agency market.
So far, McCain is averaging 11.6 points, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 45 percent from three with the contending Thunder. It’s been a small sample size so far, but the Sixers continue to catch shots from fans, analysts, and even legends of the game, for their decision.
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