Jared McCain is proving to be an incredibly valuable addition to coach Mark Daigneault's rotation since being traded to the OKC Thunder before the 2026 trade deadline. He's registered three games with 20 or more points and has shot a blistering 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.
In Friday's game at Madison Square Garden, he accomplished an impressive feat that brought a positive spin to an otherwise disdainful memory for Thunder fans.
In the win, the former Sixer raised his total points scored in a Thunder uniform to 143, surpassing none other than OKC's previous mid-season acquisition, Gordon Hayward.
Jared McCain surpasses former Thunder addition in half the time
Hayward arrived in OKC two seasons ago in a similar fashion to McCain. Having positioned the Thunder at the forefront of the Western Conference, Sam Presti decided to ship off a collection of players and assets to Charlotte for the forward in hopes of cementing the franchise as a legitimate title contender.
The hype around the deal was legitimate. The thought of adding a former All-Star with playoff experience to an already loaded roster was tantalizing. Having averaged 14.5 points per game in the same season prior to the move, Hayward was still viewed as a legitimate scorer around the league.
The deal backfired nearly immediately, however, as the veteran failed to fit into the Thunder's system. He actively voiced concerns over his role, and the team fizzled out in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The forward ended his Thunder career (and his NBA career, for that matter), averaging 5.3 points in 26 games while playing 17.2 minutes per contest.
The awkward marriage between the two parties resulted in mistrust among fans regarding future mid-season transactions.
Fortunately, McCain has done about everything he can to quell those fears.
Thunder fans are cathartically putting dark days behind them
From a team chemistry standpoint, the former Blue Devil seems to fit like a glove. Many have criticized his flashy antics on social media, but various Thunder players have also been known to share their share of corny TikTok dances.
McCain has been seen consistently getting ribbed and hazed by his new teammates after games, to which he has responded with smiles and laughter. It's easy to see he has grown acclimated to his new environment, especially given his significant boost in production from one city to the other.
Now that fans have witnessed Jared McCain play for the Thunder for nearly a month, it's clear that the only thing he and Hayward have in common is their February acquisition status.
Unlike Hayward, though, McCain has firmly entrenched himself as part of OKC's rotation moving forward, and he will likely play a major factor in the team's impending title defense.