The Philadelphia 76ers announced that Jared McCain will be out for the season following a torn meniscus. McCain was an early favorite for the Rookie of the Year award and a good contributor to the team. He had surgery a month ago, and while some fans hoped he would be back, the team decided to shut down those rumors. But without McCain, the Sixers have less depth at shooting guard. Will they make a move? What does this mean for the Rookie of the Year competition?
Jared McCain Out for the Season: What is Next for Philly?
Jared was the only bright spot in the early part of the season for the Philadelphia 76ers. While the team battled with injuries, he was showing off his worth and was one of the best players on the team. He scored a career-high 34 points in a loss to the Cavaliers in November. McCain led all rookies in scoring with 15.3 points per game, and scored 20 or more eight times. His fantastic play early on helped him win Rookie of the Month honors in November.
Are We Headed into Another Mediocre ROY Race?
The last time a rookie won the award by averaging less than 15 points was the 2015-16 season. Fun fact: another great Sixers player could have won it, but he missed significant time with injury. Joel Embiid played only 31 games that year and finished third in the race. He averaged 20.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.5 blocks.
That year, Malcolm Brogdon won the award by averaging 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. The difference was he played in 75 games. Dario Saric, playing for the Sixers, finished second with averages of 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Now that Jared McCain is out for the season due to injury, the door is open for rookies like Jaylen Wells and Stephon Castle. The former is a standard rotation player in Memphis, while the latter shows flashes for the Spurs. Wells averages 11.6 points, 1.7 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. Castle, on the other hand, averages 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.4 rebounds.
What is Next for Philly?
To be fair, nobody in Philadelphia expected McCain to play a huge role this season. Injuries opened the door for him, and he became a valued contributor. Some fans were even campaigning for him to remain in the starting lineup over Paul George. That is how much fans loved him in the early parts of the season.
Without McCain, the Sixers lack depth at the shooting guard position. There were plenty of trade rumors even before they announced he would miss the season. Now, the Sixers might be even more aggressive in trying to secure another scorer.
One of the rumored players is Malik Beasley. He is having a great season for the Pistons and may fetch a first-round pick. The Sixers have several picks, including a 2028 Clippers pick, and a 2029 swap with the Clippers.
Another player on the radar is Jordan Clarkson from Utah. The problem, however, is that he recently suffered an injury that will sideline him for a while. He suffered a torn left plantar fascia and there is no timetable for his return.
One thing is certain, if the Sixers do make a trade, KJ Martin will be the odd man out. His contract is tailor-made for the new CBA rules. However, they have to wait until Jan. 15 for trade restrictions.
The post Jared McCain Out for the Season: What is Next for Philly? appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.