The OKC Thunder made a surprising move at the trade deadline with their acquisition of 2024 first-round pick Jared McCain.
At first glance, many expected him to bring a little shooting spark off the bench and be a nice locker room presence. However, in his first few games with the Thunder, it's clear he's made a significant impact, one that's bound to force coach Mark Daigneault to increase his role post All-Star break.
Jared McCain's all-around impact has been felt with Thunder
Through his first four games, it looks as if McCain is a completely different player than he was earlier in the season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
In his first four games with OKC, he's averaged 9.3 points in just 18.5 minutes while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep.
Additionally, per Databallr, the Thunder have had a plus-38.7 NET rating with him on the floor, an astronomical number.
In the last game before the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Bucks, he had his share of struggles, shooting three of nine from the field, but still finished with 13 points.
It may seem his impact hasn't been extreme, but with the number of injuries OKC has been facing, McCain is one of the few capable ball-handlers left.
His ability to create his own shots in the mid-range and hit movement three-pointers completely changes the offense's identity when he is on the court.
To go along with his stellar shot-making, he has also been a good connective passer. With all the attention he has drawn, he still always finds the open man and is a large part of a free-flowing offensive system as of late.
The biggest worry of the trade was that McCain would be unable to keep up with an aggressive Thunder defense and become a huge liability, but that hasn't been the case either.
He has quickly adapted to the necessary physicality, holding his own on the ball and being a positive help defender.
So far, the move for the former Blue Devil has been nothing but successful.
How will Jared McCain change Thunder lineups?
With his excellent impact, it's clear that McCain cannot stay in this limited role on the bench.
The combination of McCain and sharpshooter Isaiah Joe has been the story of the week for OKC.
With Joe on an absolute tear, it's clear that the shooting gravity of each of them is mutually beneficial.
Without including the game against the Bucks because of the team's very thin roster, Joe and McCain had a plus-53.2 NET rating, with Joe playing in 33 of the 34 minutes McCain was in.
Given this duo's success, a lineup featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, McCain, and Joe should be an offensive dream. With the constant double teams and attention SGA draws, there are consistent open looks for the two best three-point shooters on the team.
With a new lineup that could see a lot of minutes, it may leave one of the Thunder's star perimeter defenders on the bench more. Between Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso, it will likely be whichever of them is struggling from deep that will be phased out of the lineup.
This offensive powerhouse will probably never be a closing lineup, but having an offensive-minded bench unit around SGA will truly maximize the MVP's production.
Jared McCain's instant breakout has opened a door of endless possibilities for the OKC Thunder, but one thing's for certain: he must become a core piece of the team's rotation.