The Oklahoma City Thunder shockingly traded for Jared McCain on the eve of the deadline, and that was all they needed to be winners. Sam Presti acquired an elite shooter who averaged over 15 points per game as a rookie before an injury cut short his season. This was the case of OKC buying low, putting their draft capital to good use, and upgrading the deepest roster in the NBA. Presti did it again.
The defending champions are dealing with several injuries and needed an upgrade. They had to make a second trade to clear a roster spot. In total, Presti gave up Houston’s 2026 first-round draft pick, four second-round selections, and Ousmane Dieng to get McCain from Philly. That is for the player who many had winning Rookie of the Year in 2025 before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The Thunder were wise to buy low. It gave them a talent upgrade and Presti picked up more offseason flexibility when new contracts for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren kick in. OKC is likely going to lose a talented piece, so getting McCain helps make up for that.
Thunder won the trade deadline with the Jared McCain trade
The 21-year-old guard has struggled this season, but appeared to be turning a corner over the last two weeks. It was just last year that McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 25.7 minutes per game. He finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting, despite playing just 23 contests. The rookie was a walking bucket and looked like a key piece of the Sixers core.
The 2025 NBA Draft lottery changed that. Philadelphia moved up to third overall and took VJ Edgecombe. It made him join Tyrese Maxey as the 76ers dynamic backcourt duo and left McCain in a bench role. McCain struggled to adjust, and an early-season injury further complicated matters.
The 21-year-old now joins the Thunder. There is no better franchise at maximizing young talent than OKC. They will have him hitting shots, making plays, and excelling on both ends of the floor. The defending champs couldn’t believe it only cost one first-round draft pick from their war chest to make this happen. It was a no-brainer for Sam Presti.
The Thunder may not be the biggest winners of the trade deadline, but they already won. OKC added a young piece to their core on a value contract. They can afford to let Lu Dort go in the offseason and have McCain immediately step in. That is Presti magic. He will keep churning over this roster and always has their spending in check by using his draft capital to add talent on rookie-scale contracts.
It was laughable to think McCain would be traded during his hot start as a rookie. Just over one year later, it is the Thunder who steal him from the Sixers. The rich certainly got richer as Presti once again proved to be the best GM in the game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just getting started. They won the title in 2025 and have their three superstars locked in through 2031. Now, add a talented guard like McCain to that mix. OKC wants this to be the next dynasty, and they are well on their way. More moves like this, and the next CBA will be focused on breaking up the Thunder, not the big market teams spending exorbitantly.