OKC’s newest guard is a go for Saturday’s game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face off against the Houston Rockets on Saturday afternoon, potentially with its newest addition taking the court. The NBA’s trade deadline officially came and went, wit the Thunder predictably inserting themselves as one of the more active teams in the league.
Even with the entirety of its championship rotation, OKC was able to upgrade at the deadline, grabbing Philadelphia guard Jared McCain for a bevy of draft picks. The No. 16 pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, McCain had early Rookie of the Year buzz in his first season, but went down with a season-ending injury, and has been unable to find the same rhythm. Now, he’ll be apart of the Thunder’s surging core, with the franchise hoping he can make an impact given where the injury report stands currently.After being traded Wednesday, McCain is a go for Saturday's game, though Oklahoma City could be conservative with his minutes given he's been thrust into a new situation. McCain played in just 16.8 minutes per game for the 76ers, averaging 6.6 points on 38% shooting overall. The Thunder will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he continued to work his way back from an abdominal injury. As of now, the team is set to evaluate his status following the All-Star break, meaning he’ll miss at least four more games. OKC will also be without All-Star Jalen Williams as he works through a hamstring injury, as well as Ajay Mitchell, who has also been out a handful of games due to an abdominal strain. The Rockets are without two major contributors, most notably starting guard Fred VanVleet, who has left the team without the necessary handling and play-making to contend for the top spots in the Western Conference this season. They’ll also be without former Thunder center Steven Adams, as he’s undergone season-ending ankle surgery.Derek Parker covers the National Basketball Association and has brought On SI five seasons of coverage across several different teams. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020 and has experience working in print, video, and radio.Grading Every Major Deal From the NBA Trade Deadline
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NBA Executives Believe Jared McCain Trade Was a Steal… For the OKC ThunderThe Sixers just made the defending champions even better.
Read more »
The Sixers trading Jared McCain will either be a head-scratcher or an embarrassmentEverywhere else, teams got better, and many of them did so in ways beyond this season. The Sixers can hope that a late first round pick for McCain is worth something in June.
Read more »
Sixers President Defends Jared McCain Trade, Overall Trade Deadline StrategyThe Sixers were trying to add to this year's team, but 'nothing materialized' in terms of a needle-mover, according to team president Daryl Morey.
Read more »
NBA trade deadline grades: No top marks for Sixers after Jared McCain and Eric Gordon dealsThe Sixers were one of the least active teams ahead of the trade deadline. They parted ways with two players in exchange for draft picks. The national media weighs in on the moves.
Read more »
OKC Thunder Guard Jared McCain Set to Debut vs. RocketsThe Oklahoma City Thunder do not list newly acquired guard Jared McCain on their injury report against the Houston Rockets, signaling his debut for the team as the Thunder get rotational pieces back.
Read more »
Meghan McCain Slams Recently Canceled Talk Shows as 'Sublimely Boring'Meghan McCain claimed that recently canceled daytime talk shows were axed due to being sublimely boring
Read more »