The Whiteboard: Jared McCain is the light at the end of the tunnel for 76ers fans

The Philadelphia 76ers are 2-9, raising alarm bells in the fandom as the NBA season presses forward without regard for the Sixers' ongoing health crisis. Tyrese Maxey is still sidelined due to a hamstring injury, while both Joel Embiid and Paul George missed Wednesday's loss to Cleveland for knee injury management purposes.

That has been the story of the Sixers' season to date. We still haven't seen Embiid, George, and Maxey on the floor all at once. Embiid's recent return has lifted some spirits, but with back-to-backs off the table and future rest days built into the schedule, it's unclear how often Embiid can actually play, and if those preservation plans might stand in the way of Philadelphia's ultimate goal — postseason success. You have to make the playoffs to win in the playoffs.

Despite the ever-present specter of dread hanging over in the fandom, however, there has been a source of joy. His name is Jared McCain, the 20-year-old rookie combo guard from Duke.

Despite Philadelphia's 2-9 record, there has been a critical development in the 76ers' long-term plans to compete. McCain is a hit. The 16th overall pick has performed as well as any rookie in a weak draft, earning legitimate Rookie of the Year buzz as he strives to keep Philadelphia afloat through persistent injury-related absences.

McCain dropped 34 points and 10 assists against the Cavs last night, hitting 6-of-13 from deep, notching a couple steals on defense, and limiting his turnovers to a respectable tally of three. He's now averaging 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on .457/.385/1.000 splits in just 18.9 minutes, becoming the betting favorite for the highest rookie honor.

Jared McCain is a ray of light amid the 76ers' dark and tumultuous season

Is McCain actually going to win Rookie of the Year? The safe bet is probably not, although he's clearly capable of it. Maxey's eventual return will cut into McCain's minutes and workload, bringing his numbers down to earth. He's also shooting unrealistically well at the rim and from the charity stripe. Those are both well-documented strengths for McCain, despite his small frame, but he is destined for some regression to the mean.

On the other hand, McCain started the campaign ice-cold from 3-point range, which obviously won't hold. He's a solid candidate to shoot 40-plus percent from deep, especially once he's relegated to a more streamlined role next to the Embiid-George-Maxey triumvirate, assuming we get to see the Sixers at full strength this season.

What the Sixers can embrace in these dark and trying times is McCain's obvious talent. Nick Nurse said the rookie is a candidate to start once the team is at full strength. Skeptics point to McCain's lack of size next to Maxey in a hypothetical starting backcourt, but Philadelphia was starting Kyle Lowry in the playoffs a few months ago. McCain's defense has been decidedly mixed — normal for a rookie guard — but he's a strong and savvy presence on the perimeter. He often guarded bigger than his listed height at Duke and did so with aplomb. He should eventually be able to achieve a similar reputation in the NBA.

As for the offense, it's a seamless fit. McCain has proven that he can create advantages with his handle, put pressure on the rim, and distribute the rock when called upon. He's also an extremely heady off-ball presence, constantly cutting, relocating, and putting a strain on the defense. Now that he has worked up a base level of respect from defenses — the Cavs tossed a box-and-one at McCain in his 11th NBA game — that will only increase the attention McCain receives moving forward, even once Philly's heavy-hitters are back in the mix.

It's too early to stamp McCain as the fourth star in Philadelphia, but hitting on a full-fledged starter on a four-year rookie contract would be huge for a Sixers team with ungodly amounts of dough wrapped up in its star trio. The new CBA makes it very difficult for front offices to build around three max contracts. The best way to add sustainable, affordable, team-controlled contributors is through the draft. And, credit where it's due, Daryl Morey continues to unearth gems on draft night, time and time again.

McCain's ability to scale up and down is huge for this team. He's built to excel either as a role player or the 76ers' primary creator, whichever is needed of him on a given night. If McCain can continue this upward trajectory and become anything roughly approximating a "fourth star," then that's gravy.

McCain is leading the way for a solid, if at times thin 76ers supporting cast. Guerschon Yabusele, Kelly Oubre, Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, and of course, McCain — these all feel like pieces Philadelphia can trust in the playoffs. One or two more tweaks at the trade deadline, and Daryl Morey could have a contender on his hands, basketball gods willing. The threat of injuries will continue to hound this team, but the Sixers are three games out of the No. 4 seed, despite their god-awful start to the campaign. A run of decent health could quickly change this team's fortunes, with McCain playing a central role in any success.

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NBA news roundup:

• Franz Wagner is quietly building up his All-Star resume for the injury-hampered Magic. He dropped 29 points and six assists in Wednesday's victory over Indiana, pushing Orlando back over .500 despite the ongoing absence of Paolo Banchero. He's averaging 27.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 1.4 steals over his last five games.

• Jalen Williams is effectively OKC's starting center with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein out of commission. The early results have been shockingly positive. J-Dub posted four steals and two blocks as the Thunder's primary back-line defender in Wednesday's victory over New Orleans, adding 31 points, six rebounds, and seven assists on 18 shots, for good measure. OKC's not going away, folks.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 59 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists in a gutsy win over the Pistons, proclaiming Milwaukee is "[his] city" at one point. The Bucks are clearly unwilling to engage with the idea of a trade at this point and, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Doc Rivers' job is safe. The Bucks are 4-8, but a few more wins would have this team back in the mix for homecourt advantage.

The MVP race is shaping up to be a doozy

Anthony Davis has made headlines for his stellar start under new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick. He's leading the NBA in scoring at 30.2 points per game while putting together his standard DPOY case on the other end. A lot of early MVP leaderboards seem to favor AD as a result, but naturally, the race is far from settled in mid-November.

All the usual suspects are starting to come on strong. Giannis has been phenomenal despite Milwaukee's struggles. If the Bucks can get back into the green, expect his candidacy to pick up steam. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC are going to win a bunch of games, while the injury to Chet Holmgren could bolster SGA's case. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are dominating again. Donovan Mitchell has the Cavs 13-0. And so forth.

That said, let's shout out the obvious frontrunner right now — and probably the winner, when all is said and done. Nikola Jokic is single-handedly keeping the injury-addled, depth-deprived Denver Nuggets afloat, averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 11.7 assists, and 1.7 steals (all career highs). He's also splitting .564/.562/.843, scoring with absurd efficiency at all three levels. Those numbers will inevitably fall back to earth, but the three-time MVP is once again lapping the competition, this time with less help than ever.