Daryl Morey, the president of the Philadelphia 76ers, is recognized for his innovative approach to team-building and use of analytics. However, he has also shown skill in avoiding the luxury tax.
On Wednesday, Morey and the 76ers traded 21-year-old guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for draft picks. This move helps the team stay under the luxury tax threshold as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches. It’s a surprising decision for a team currently ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Jared McCain offers great promise for the Thunder
McCain was among the top rookies in the NBA last season until a meniscus injury cut it short. He averaged 15.3 points in 25.7 minutes per game, with a shooting percentage of 46 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three-point range. His impressive performance earned him the seventh spot in the Rookie of the Year voting, despite playing only 23 games.
This season, the No. 16 pick from the 2024 draft missed the beginning due to a thumb ligament tear. As a result, he fell behind 2025’s No. 3 pick, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes in the 76ers’ lineup. Nevertheless, McCain has shown he can be an elite shooter, making 19 of 39 three-point attempts since the start of 2026.
Despite his potential, the Sixers opted for financial relief over keeping a young talent like McCain. The trade brought them a 2026 first-round pick from the Houston Rockets and three additional second-round picks, offering a chance to acquire players of similar value as McCain.