- - 76ers reportedly trading guard Jared McCain to Thunder for bundle of picks, including Rockets' 2026 first-rounder

Andy Backstrom February 4, 2026 at 9:12 PM

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The Philadelphia 76ers are trading second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a 2026 Houston Rockets first-round pick, as well as three second-round picks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Sixers, who have won five games in a row and are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 29-21 record, are receiving a 2027 second-round pick — the most favorable of picks via the Thunder, Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat — and two 2028 second-round picks — one from the Milwaukee Bucks and one from the Thunder — per Charania.

The talented McCain lands on the reigning NBA champions. For the 76ers, the trade allows them to receive assets, clear space in the glut of guards and give them flexibility to bring Quentin Grimes back in free agency. It also allows them to convert two-way Dominick Barlow. https://t.co/Dvsqvog38z

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026

The news arrived Wednesday, the same day Charania reported that Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending NBA champions' leading scorer and the league's reigning MVP, will be out through at least the All-Star break because of an abdominal strain he suffered Tuesday night during a 128-92 win over the Orlando Magic.

The Sixers selected McCain out of Duke with the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he showed glimpses of stardom early last season, but the 21-year-old has struggled with injuries since.

In fact, after averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in his first 23 games with the franchise, he missed the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.

Then, this past September, McCain sustained a UCL tear in his right thumb during a workout a day before the team's media day.

McCain made his season debut on Nov. 4, however, he didn't make a field goal until his fifth game back in the rotation on Nov. 19.

He has averaged just 6.6 points and 1.7 assists in 16.8 minutes across 37 games in 2025-26. While McCain is shooting 37.8% from 3, his field-goal percentage has dropped from 46% last season to 38.5% this season.

Although McCain made at least four 3s in three of four games in late January and started February by making 2-of-2 attempts from long range in a road win versus the Los Angeles Clippers, he was stuck in a crowded Sixers backcourt that features two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey and standout rookie VJ Edgecombe.

Edgecombe is among the top first-year players this season. McCain enjoyed that kind of success at the beginning of last season.

When Maxey was out for a stretch back then, McCain took over at point. In that six-game span, McCain averaged 25.2 points, 4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44.1% from deep. In the process, he turned in 27-, 29- and 34-point performances.

Even after Maxey returned to the lineup, McCain still registered another 30 piece. That outing against the Brooklyn Nets gave McCain seven straight 20-plus-point games and, more importantly, the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in the first five starts of a career (26), the Sixers' record for most 3-pointers made through the first 15 games of a career (37), as well as the NBA rookie record for most consecutive games with at least three 3-pointers (8).

McCain became the early favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year before his knee injury.

As Charania pointed out, the Sixers giving up McCain results in not only assets but also the flexibility to re-sign wing Quentin Grimes, whom Philadelphia inked to a one-year qualifying offer before the season.

Additionally, the move puts the Sixers under the luxury tax, according to The Athletic, setting the stage for them to convert two-way player Dom Barlow, a fourth-year forward who is averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

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Source: “AOL Sports”