The Oklahoma City Thunder are threading a dangerous needle as they exit the All-Star Break.
They are without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell for the immediate future as all three deal with injuries. They've fallen from the heights they reached early in the season, now holding a 43-14 record. The San Antonio Spurs sit just 2.5 games behind them for the first seed in the Western Conference.
They beat the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, but they'll need to play much better over this next stretch if they want to get back on track.
Hopefully, Jared McCain's 21-point performance is a genuine sign of a breakout. Oklahoma City desperately needs his scoring presence off the bench.
Jared McCain can be the burst of energy the Thunder desperately need
The trade for McCain in many ways, was not made with the intention of him making an immediate impact. It was an upside swing, made with the hope that he would eventually regain his rookie form and become an integral piece of the rotation.
Through five games in a Thunder uniform, however, he's proved to be an important contributor. He's averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while knocking down 45% of his shots from beyond the arc.
Since Gilgeous-Alexander went out, Oklahoma City is 20th in both points scored and assist percentage. Their offense, at times, has felt stagnant and uncreative in his absence.
Without Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell, the Thunder are desperately in need of additional ball-handling and scoring. Against Brooklyn, McCain not only looked effective, but he looked aggressive as well. He attempted 12 field goals on the night, creating his own looks and taking the perimeter shots that were open to him.
Although the Thunder have a remarkably deep bench, the same cannot be said about the likes of Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. These are strong role players, but they feed off the energy of the offense as a whole.
As McCain's confidence increases, so will his willingness to be that guy off the bench for Oklahoma City.
Of course, this is not a simple thing to ask of him. Although he took on a large role early in his rookie year, he was essentially buried in the Philadelphia 76ers' rotation for most of this season. To step into one of the league's premier rosters and immediately make his mark is a highly impressive feat.
But if McCain can sustain this level of play over the next couple of weeks, he could help tide the team over until their stars return to action. That alone would mean the trade has already paid immense dividends.