Jared McCain Thrives Post-Trade, Sixers Fight for Playoff Spot

0:00From NBA coverage, this is your March 6 update. Jair McCain's time with the Philadelphia Sixers came to an end with a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick and three. Second round picks, and his 37 games with Philly this season, he averaged just 6.6 points on poor shooting efficiency. But since joining Oklahoma City for 12 games, he's bumped that up to 11.9 points per game, shooting much better from the field, and beyond the arc, all in about 19.5 minutes. Team President Daryl Mory called it, selling high on a starter quality player, especially with Tyree's Maxi and Vijay Edgecomb, locked in and starting. Guards A three-guard lineup with those three showed promise in limited action, but the front office saw McCain's value dropping without a clear path to big. Minutes in Philly McCain spoke openly about loving his time there and missing his teammates, whom he called brothers, but he gets why it happened. Injuries played a big role too, including a torn meniscus from his rookie year, and a

1:02thumb injury right before camp, which slowed his return to form. The trade hit the Sixers locker room hard, with players noting a dip in morale. Meanwhile, McCain showed that the coaching staff, saying no one was at fault, and it just took time to readjust to game speed. Now thriving in Oklahoma City, McCain has better odds at a title run, while the short-handed Sixers fight Miami and Orlando for that last playoff spot. In the East Support for this DNA episode comes from our sponsor. When you want calm, do not reach for your phone. Stay back and listen, S-O-L-I-SOL-Pilo.com.