Grade the Take: Is Jared McCain good enough to include Tyrese Maxey in trade talks?

The 76ers' ugly start to the regular season has everyone in Philadelphia scrambling for answers. Rookie Jared McCain might be the only player on the team's roster who has exceeded expectations to date. His emergence as a playmaker on the perimeter could make Tyrese Maxey expendable if someone makes the team the right trade offer.

Maxey is averaging over 27 points per game on the season as he's been forced to keep the offense afloat without Joel Embiid. His efficiency has taken a significant dip without the dominant low-post center's help. His three-point percentage is under 29 percent on the season, which is well below his career average of 39 percent. It's too early to panic about Maxey's shooting struggles after just 12 regular-season games, but it's something worth monitoring.

McCain is not the volume scorer that Maxey is, but his efficiency as a rookie has justifiably earned him plaudits around the NBA. He is averaging just under 15 points per game but he is shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc. He's flashed the ability to get up enough shots to be a team's primary perimeter scorer, but opposing defenses have yet to really zero in on his offensive tendencies. Maxey has already shown the ability to overcome that challenge. Right now, the veteran is the better offensive player.

McCain likely holds the long-term edge on the other end of the floor. He has superior length to Maxey and shows better ball skills as a help defender. Unfortunately for the 76ers, neither projects as a guard who can defend bigger shooting guards. The two players are too similar to share the floor in crunch-time lineups. That's why analysts like Kevin O'Connor are wondering whether McCain's early-season performance should cause the 76ers to consider offloading Maxey in a trade.

The other big factor in potentially prioritizing McCain over Maxey is the difference in the two guards' contracts. Maxey is maxing over $35 million this season while McCain is just on the first-year of his rookie deal. The 76ers could open a significant chunk of cap space by dealing Maxey. They could also use his salary slot to bring in a wing who could play alongside McCain and Embiid.

So should the 76ers deal Tyrese Maxey?

Philadelphia might have considered Maxey to be untouchable in trade talks heading into the season. That should not be the case any longer. McCain looks like a budding star who plays the same role that Maxey current occupies. The 76ers should be taking calls on Maxey's availability in an effort to improve their chances of winning a title during Embiid's prime.

None of that means the 76ers should be shopping their high-scoring guard. Maxey is still a valuable scorer who helps open up space for Embiid on the block. He isn't a perfect partner for the franchise center on defense, but the two make an explosive offensive pairing when they're both healthy.

It's also a major gamble to entrust Maxey's role to McCain after the rookie has only played 12 games. It would be prudent for the 76ers to gather more information about all of their core players before making a franchise-altering trade. Discretion is the right play for the 76ers here unless someone blows them away with a trade offer for Maxey in the coming weeks.