{"id":196917,"date":"2026-05-24T11:07:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T15:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=196917"},"modified":"2026-05-24T11:07:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T15:07:30","slug":"jared-mccain-impact-wcf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/24\/jared-mccain-impact-wcf\/","title":{"rendered":"Jared McCain Continues to Impress in Thunder’s Playoff Run"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perhaps one of the most surprising things about this season’s Western Conference Finals\u00a0is how the Oklahoma City Thunder bench has taken over the series<\/a> so far. One of the biggest reasons for that is the defending champs’ latest acquisition. Jared McCain<\/a> is elevating his level of play and continues to shine for OKC at the best time, as they seek a 3-1 lead in the Thunder vs Spurs series.<\/p>\n

Since being traded to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline, it has been a miracle run<\/a> for McCain. The former Philadelphia 76ers guard started as a backup shooter to pair with Isaiah Joe<\/a> (who also happens to be a former Sixers player). As the second half of the season went along, McCain gained momentum and suddenly became a fan favorite<\/a>, eventually earning minutes in Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s deeper rotation.<\/p>\n

Jared McCain Continues to Impress in Thunder’s Playoff Run<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now more than ever, McCain has proven himself worthy in OKC’s playoff rotation, especially for one who just came into Oklahoma City as a displaced player who lost his starting role due to rookie\u00a0V.J. Edgecombe<\/a> high-rising rookie season. The Sixers couldn’t work out to find a way to let him contribute off the bench but he’s putting up the best stretch of performances of his career while playing for the defending champions.<\/p>\n

Sold Not High Enough<\/h3>\n

McCain was traded to the Thunder in exchange for a late first-rounder and three second-round picks. Sixers former general manager Daryl Morey was confident that he sold high<\/a> for the Duke product. In just a matter of a few games, McCain went on to prove that Morey wasn’t really good at appraisals. With the defending champions, McCain averaged 10.4 points (in 18.0 minutes) per game, posting .462-.391-.853 shooting splits. He became a key piece of the Oklahoma City bench.<\/p>\n

Then came the playoffs, and McCain was expected to be unplayable to begin with. He played only 22 total minutes<\/a> in the Thunder’s first round series, even as OKC swept the Phoenix Suns. After that, he became a lethal weapon. With the Thunder facing LeBron James<\/a> and the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, McCain averaged 14.6 minutes per game that series. His most impressive performance saw him score 18 points in 18 minutes.<\/p>\n

In the series against the Spurs, McCain began to play a bigger role in the rotation as one of the key players off the bench. At this point, even former NBA star Blake Griffin<\/a> had to address the fact that the Sixers failed to realize his value<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Jared McCain on Daryl Morey trading him: \u201cIt\u2019s never to prove anybody wrong. I try to keep a positive outlook. I like proving my support system right. Daryl\u2019s still the guy that drafted me, so I\u2019ll always have love for him for that. He believed in me enough to take me at No. 16.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/nZdfbwUOE0<\/a><\/p>\n

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n