Jared McCain set to make season debut for 76ers against Bulls
The Philadelphia 76ers upgraded Jared McCain to probable for Tuesday’s game in Chicago, clearing the way for the young guard to finally hit the court this season.
McCain has been sidelined since late September with a UCL tear in his right thumb. The 21-year-old hasn’t played in an NBA game since last December when his rookie season was cut short by a torn meniscus that required surgery.
It’s been a long road back.
Before his injury troubles, McCain was lighting it up as a rookie. He led all first-year players with an impressive 15.3 points per game across 23 appearances.
The Duke product made history too. He set an NBA rookie record by draining at least three 3-pointers in eight straight games last November while scoring 20+ points in seven consecutive contests.
That’s the kind of firepower the Sixers have been missing.
McCain wasn’t just a scorer either. He contributed 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in nearly 26 minutes per game, while shooting a solid 46% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc – fourth best among all rookies.
The Sixers clearly believe in his future, having exercised their third-year option on McCain last month, keeping him in Philadelphia through the 2026-27 season.
Adding to an Already Hot Backcourt
76ers coach Nick Nurse is excited to integrate McCain into a backcourt that’s already clicking.
“Inserting him in with the VJ, Tyrese [Maxey] and [Quentin Grimes guard] group is the plan,” Nurse explained. “That was sort of the plan going into the season. Again, I think they all can do a variety of things, and give us a chance to have some more depth.”
The timing couldn’t be better. Tyrese Maxey just earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors, while rookie VJ Edgecombe – the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft – is already averaging 20 points per game on 49% shooting.
Nurse sees McCain’s return as a chance to manage minutes better.
“Gives us a chance to, again, play some shorter stints so the energy can stay high and all those things. We need him back. We look forward to having him back.”
Sixers Surprising the League
What a difference a year makes.
After stumbling out of the gates with a miserable 2-12 start last season, the 76ers have been one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this year. They’re sitting pretty at 5-1, tied with Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Only the undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0) have a better record in the entire league.
Philadelphia hasn’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001 – a drought of more than two decades. They’ve been knocked out in the conference semifinals seven times this century.
Could this finally be their breakthrough year?
Health will be the key. Joel Embiid’s availability has been a constant concern throughout his career. The big man played just 39 games during the 2023-24 season and was limited to only 19 appearances last year due to a torn lateral meniscus.
His numbers dipped too. Embiid averaged 23.8 points (his lowest since 2019-20) and just 8.2 rebounds (his worst since his rookie season).
But with McCain returning and the team off to a hot start, there’s genuine optimism in Philadelphia that this season might be different.
