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Justin Martinez: Final: Thunder 121, Nets 92 Jared McCain: 26 points and 2 blocks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 20 points and 6 assists Aaron Wiggins: 17 points and 7 rebounds OKC (55-15) has now won 10 straight games. Next up is a road game against Washington at 4 p.m. CT Saturday.
Justin Martinez: Jared McCain on if he has played alongside a big man who can make screening a highlight play like Isaiah Hartenstein: “It’s crazy. When I was in Philly, Joel would do that with Tyrese and I was like ‘Dang, that’s really cool right there.’ So being able to be a part of it is really fun. Playing with Hart, J-Will and Chet, they’re all elite bigs. I’m excited to play with them.”
Brandon Rahbar: Thunder improve to 51-15. 6 straight wins. 3-0 vs the Nuggets. SGA: 35 PTS/15 AST/9 REB/1 STL/2 BLK/0 TO JWill: 29 PTS/7-11 3PT/12 REB/2 BLK Ajay: 24 PTS/9-16 FG/3 AST McCain: 13 PTS/3-5 3PT Next up: Celtics in OKC on Thursday on Prime Video.
"They call you and it's just so, like, cold, almost," McCain said. "It's like, damn. They drafted me. It just feels like it just ended so quickly. The call that you get traded is, like, 'Hey, we just traded you,' and that's kind of it. So it's really, it's almost sad. It's really sad. It really is sad. Like, I'm an emotional person. I really, like, I love all those people over there, like the staff, like the medical staff, the coaching staff. The teammates, like, those are like my brothers. I really looked up to a lot of 'em and hung out with all of 'em. It's sad that you don't see 'em every day."
At a press conference the day after the trade deadline, Morey called McCain "a great future bet and a potential great player," but also said that he thought the team was "selling high" and was better off with the draft picks, which he described as more than a typical return for a starter-level player on a good team. Morey's transparency only amplified the discussion around the deal, which basically boiled down to how to properly value a player who was about to turn 22. "It's really weird sometimes, like, hearing people talk about what you're 'worth,'" McCain said. "And it's because I'm really, you know -- there's a human aspect to it that a lot of people skip over. So hearing stuff that he said in the media, it's like, 'Damn. Is that how you really felt?' 'Cause I feel like I treated everybody with respect and love. So it's definitely tough to hear sometimes, but you gotta understand it's a business and they're doing what they feel is best."
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To be clear, McCain never wanted to leave the Sixers. He was "completely blindsided" by the trade, he said. He is "really grateful," though, to have landed with Oklahoma City for a number of reasons. McCain loves the way that the Thunder play. "This offense is amazing," he said, praising the team's collective chemistry and unselfishness. He loves playing off Isaiah Hartenstein, the big man Gilgeous-Alexander described as a "dream" to play with after just two regular-season games last season. "It's being able to find where I want the ball but also find my man after he passes the ball, when he drops the passes," McCain said. "Or being able to just pitch it and then come off. Just that little bit of space is all a shooter needs to get something off. And if I got a little bit of an advantage, I know I can either get to the bump mid or get to a 3."
"When you can mesh like that with a coach, it's really awesome," McCain said, recalling his first meeting with Daigneault and general manager Sam Presti before the 2024 draft. "Being able to just talk to them about, 'How is Shai so good?' It was process-oriented, the daily habits," McCain said. "It's the consistency, the discipline. That's all stuff that I love. I love that 'Atomic Habits,' the '1% Better,' the do one thing, get really good at it, then focus on the next thing. It's been really cool to just have conversations with them, get to know 'em, because it's the same mindset I have."
"I have nothing bad to say about none of the teammates, none of the coaches, but it's just hard to find a rhythm playing with really great players and getting little short spurts," McCain said. "There were a few games, for sure, that I felt great. I feel like those were the ones where I got to play a little extended minutes, play through some mistakes." McCain said it's "nobody's fault" that he didn't consistently find his form in Philly. "I knew it was going to take time," he said. "It's even still taking time. I feel great right now, but sometimes, you know, some days are better than others."
"I definitely thought it could work," McCain said. "Long-term, I definitely think it could work. I loved playing with them. It was really fun. And I'm going to miss it, too. So I think there was definitely potential there, but they made the best decision for what they thought it was and we've just gotta live with it and kind of move on." Philadelphia sent him to Oklahoma City for a first-round pick and two seconds. He is aware that a large portion of the Sixers' fanbase was upset. In the moment, he was too. "I'm right there with the fans," McCain said. "I was scared, man. I didn't know. I was emotional with it, it was a lot going on and it was hard to process. So I'm forever still grateful for Philly. It's always hard. Like, you don't get to say goodbye. It's really like a breakup."
Then Jared McCain’s phone rang. The first call came from his agent, Excel Sports' James Dunleavy, warning that a transaction was suddenly imminent. A call from Morey soon followed, confirming that a trade with Oklahoma City had really been made. Shock rifled from McCain's heart up his throat. “It was weird emotions,” McCain told The Stein Line last week. “I’m crying and he's telling me I’m traded and I’m telling players on the bus and hugging guys goodbye.” McCain, like Sixers fans, was blindsided. “I had no clue at all,” he said.
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Justin Martinez: Final: Thunder 116, Bulls 108 Jaylin Williams: 17 points, 16 boards and 6 assists Aaron Wiggins: 18 points and 7 boards Jared McCain: 20 points and 2 steals OKC keeps rolling despite being short-handed. It's now 48-15. Next up is a road game against New York tomorrow at 6 p.m. CST.
Do not be fooled by Jared McCain's reaction during the Jokic-Dort scuffle 😅💅 "I heard Jared McCain is almost the same level fighter as James Johnson...he's not the one to mess with...1000%, that dude can fight." - @ChandlerParsons
Do not be fooled by Jared McCain's reaction during the Jokic-Dort scuffle 😅💅
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 2, 2026
"I heard Jared McCain is almost the same level fighter as James Johnson...he's not the one to mess with...1000%, that dude can fight." - @ChandlerParsons@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/1LTu57ZPkU
Brandon Rahbar: SGA on Jared McCain: "He was great tonight. There was a spurt in the game where he kept us afloat, scoring wise. Great shooting touch. He's going to continue get better the more he's in our system. Kid's really talented at basketball."
Brandon Rahbar: Chet Holmgren on Jared McCain: "He's been great since he's been here... He was big for us tonight. We're happy to have him."
