Jared McCain trade grades: Sixers betray fans — and Joel Embiid — to duck the tax

The Philadelphia 76ers continued their annual tradition of ducking below the tax line on Wednesday, trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Houston's 2026 first-round pick and three future second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

This deal allows Philadelphia to duck the luxury tax and promote starting power forward Dominick Barlow from his two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. The Paul George suspension, which saved Philadelphia almost $6 million against the tax, made this specific move possible.

The 2027 second-round pick Philadelphia received from Oklahoma City will be the second-most favorable between OKC, Houston, Indiana and Miami. Meanwhile, the Thunder sent former lottery pick Ousmane Dieng to the Hornets (then rerouted to Chicago), with Mason Plumlee joining OKC.

Sixers trade grade: D-

Daryl Morey's methods of operation are well-documented at this point. If he believes his team has a real shot at winning the title, he takes the all-in approach. If not, he's liable to duck the tax to appease ownership and manifest as much long-term optionality as he can.

Given the state of the East, however, ducking the tax this season, with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid both playing at an All-NBA level, feels especially egregious. Philadelphia's path has not been this clear in a while, and there's no telling how long this Embiid renaissance actually lasts. The Sixers had an obligation to Embiid, and to their fan base, to make the most of the opportunity. Philadelphia's competitive timeline is transient. This move feels like a lack of belief on Morey's part.

If this was strictly an act of financial appeasement — a demand passed down from ownership — then it's still inexplicable. McCain was cruising to Rookie of the Year honors last season before a freak knee injury. His return this season was interrupted by a thumb injury, which made for a slow reacclimation process. But now, after his best two-week stretch of the season, Philadelphia is essentially selling low on a 21-year-old with 2.5 years left on his cheap rookie contract (and restricted free agency rights after that).

Philadelphia could have dumped Andre Drummond or Quentin Grimes to far less outrage. Charania's reporting mentions the Sixers "[clearing] space in the glut of guards," but that is patently false: Behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes is now the only playable guard in Philly's rotation. Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon are the emergency options if injuries strike.

Grimes has seen his playing time plummet of late. He's a limited playmaker and decision-maker, whereas McCain's high-feel approach is far more conducive to meaningful ball-handling duties. Part of why Grimes' minutes were ticking down is because McCain has slowly surpassed him in terms of overall impact. Those lines were always going to cross on the graph; McCain is a better player. Now, the Sixers are essentially hoping to re-sign Grimes as a free agent, rather than investing in years of cheap control and potential development from McCain.

Embiid only recently made an explicit plea to the front office to not duck the tax.

To not only do so anyway, but to do so by trading such a promising young player — one who's beloved by fans and in the locker room, with Edgecombe going out of his way to mention McCain alongside Maxey when discussing the future of Philly's backcourt — is a genuine travesty.

There are scant silver linings here. McCain is averaging 16.8 minutes per game this season and shooting 38.5 percent from the field. He's a smaller guard with severe defensive limitations, whose future was murky in the face of Maxey and Edgecombe crystalizing as Philadelphia's starting backcourt. Morey is excellent in the draft and should find value with the Houston pick, even if it lands in the 20s. The Sixers could, in theory, find a way to win this trade, especially if McCain struggles to crack an even deeper backcourt in OKC.

But given McCain's unique traits and not-insubstantial upside, this was a weak sell-low, tax-ducking maneuver from Philly. Morey will attempt to justify it by waxing poetic about financial flexibility, but this was weak sauce from the Sixers all the way.

Thunder trade grade: A

Oklahoma City added a productive bench guard for free a few years ago when the Sixers cut Isaiah Joe. This addition came at a steep price, but McCain arrives in OKC with 2.5 years left on his rookie deal, just a year removed from thoroughly outclassing his peers in the 2024 draft class.

There is a lot of depth in the Thunder backcourt right now, but with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander slated to miss a couple weeks at least with an abdomen injury, McCain should hit the ground running with a chance to carve out a role. He's a perfect fit on paper — another dribble-pass-shoot option for OKC, this time with incredible shooting talent and a knack for relocating off-ball, keeping his defender occupied at all times.

The Thunder have two, potentially three, first-round picks in the 2026 draft even after this trade. The Rockets pick would land at No. 26 if the season ended today. While Philadelphia could, in theory, unearth major value there, draft picks are theoretical at the end of the day. McCain needs to put this nightmarish first half behind him, but the last time he was operating at full strength, with confidence and a long leash from the coaching staff, he was significantly more valuable than a mid-20s draft pick.

The Thunder don't have roster space for four rookies next season. McCain comes on a cheap deal, with the ability to contribute in a streamlined role early on and the potential to grow into a more significant contributor over time.

OKC has a ton of weapons already, but none with McCain's unique blend of shooting and processing. He's such a smart player, able to find a niche and contribute with or without the rock. When McCain's not floating into open space and bombing 3s, he can run pick and rolls, worming his way to the paint with a strong frame and underrated ball-handling chops. He was an exceptional below-rim finisher at Duke and as a rookie. As he gets his legs under him, that attribute should return to him.

There is basically zero risk here for OKC considering the wealth of assets at Sam Presti's disposal. If McCain bombs and ends up on a new team in two years, the Thunder can survive no problem. If he reaches even a fraction of the potential he flashed in Philadelphia, OKC just added a long-term staple for pennies on the dollar, all so Philadelphia can balance its cap sheet.

Sam Presti stays winning. He's the best in the business for a reason. You should trust his judgement.