76ers send former promising prospect Jared McCain to Thunder for four draft picks, AP source says

PHILADELPHIA — The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have acquired Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2026 Houston Rockets first-round draft pick and three second-round picks, a person with knowledge of the trade said Wednesday.

The Sixers will receive the most-favorable second-round pick in 2027 from Oklahoma City, Houston, Indiana or Miami; one from Milwaukee in 2028 and another from the Thunder in 2028, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not yet been made official.

The 21-year-old McCain was considered a bright piece of the Sixers' future after they made him the 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft.

But McCain averaged only 6.6 points in 37 games this season. He goes to a Thunder team reeling from the loss of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to an abdominal strain expected to sideline him until after the All-Star break.

McCain was off to a fantastic start last season in his brief career before he suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee during a December game against Indiana.

McCain had averaged 15.3 points in 23 games for a Sixers team that entered last season with championship aspirations before injuries sunk them into the draft lottery. He started eight games and was an instant fan favorite out of Duke in large part after amassing millions of followers as a TikTok sensation.

McCain earned Eastern Conference rookie of the month honors for November.

He struggled to regain his place in the rotation as the Sixers returned to playoff contention behind No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe.