Jared McCain may not be one of the most prominent members of the Oklahoma City Thunder's rotation, but he has given them a boost through the first two games of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Lakers. After coming off the bench to hit a few huge shots in the fourth quarter of Game 1, McCain gave the Lakers fits amid Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's bout with foul trouble, finishing with 18 points in 18 minutes off the bench in their 125-107 win in Game 2.
McCain has provided instant offense for the Thunder in Game 2 the way he's done for OKC ever since coming over in a midseason trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Every good McCain game has felt like a statement towards the 76ers, with the 22-year-old guard showing Philly what they're missing — especially as they navigate a tough second-round matchup against the New York Knicks with a shortened rotation which has caused Tyrese Maxey to log an extremely heavy workload (47 minutes in Game 2 on Wednesday night).
Retired NBA star Blake Griffin, who was on the NBA on Prime Nightcap crew on Friday, stirred the pot and said that the 76ers didn't “sell high enough” on McCain. This elicited a huge laugh from McCain, as Griffin referenced a previous statement from 76ers president Daryl Morey saying that they simply sold high on McCain.
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"they didn't sell high enough" pic.twitter.com/EeSjZt1BLu
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 8, 2026
The 76ers decided to trade McCain for a variety of reasons. Not only did they get a few draft picks back in return, they also managed to get underneath the luxury tax with that maneuver amid Paul George's suspension. It also opened up a roster spot for Dominick Barlow's contract to be converted from a two-way to a standard one.
However, McCain was so good in his rookie season for the 76ers before he tore his meniscus, and he appeared to be getting back on track prior to the trade deadline. The Thunder then decided that bringing him in via trade was worth it, and so far, this gambit of theirs has done nothing but pay off in a big way.
Jared McCain may not be one of the most prominent members of the Oklahoma City Thunder's rotation, but he has given them a boost through the first two games of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Lakers.