Perception and reality can become mortal enemies at times, often without rhyme or reason. They appear to be polar opposites, but both lend affirmation to the other.
Such is the case of the Sixers trading popular second-year player Jared McCain near the trade deadline last month to defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wildly popular in Philadelphia due to his ever-present smile, popular TikTok posts and a surprisingly good start to his rookie season that was cut short after 23 games, McCain made his return to the Xfinity Mobile Arena Monday and received all the media and fan attention of a disregarded superstar. And the huge applause when he was announced into the game with 5:56 to go in the first quarter proved it.
So much has been bantered about since the Sixers decided to depart with their 16th overall pick in 2024 that got them a first-round pick in 2026 (Houston's), a second-rounder in 2027 and two seconds in 2028. The "look how good he's doing in OKC" and "he could really help this SIxers team" crowd is the majority, and maybe rightfully so. The minority argue that the Sixers got a pretty good haul for someone who was the fourth guard on the team, and that the team was already set for the future with their guard rotation of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who, when healthy, will eat up 35-40 minutes a night.
So let's take a closer look at that. Yes, Maxey and Edgecombe aren't going anywhere for quite a while and will be the foundational pieces for this organization moving forward. Could McCain have fit in with them in a rotation? No question. His is a game that can be very versatile, with scoring, playmaking, threes and penetration. He could have run the second team as the main ball-handler. He could also have been an off-ball guard with either of those two.
The argument could be made that so can Quentin Grimes. Perhaps that's what Daryl Morey and company were thinking when they made the decision on Feb. 4. While rumors persist that the McCain deal was done to receive assets for another trade, the Sixers didn't pull anything off, and no matter what, would still have needed a spark off the bench, which is now Grimes.
Perhaps Morey was looking at the win-now mentality that he is known for, trying to get a star player with those McCain assets. If that was the case, Grimes is still a very good fit coming off the bench for what the Sixers need, and that's an aggressive, downhill scorer, both inside and out.
Look at it this way: since the trade and going into Monday's game against the Sixers, McCain had played 19 games for the Thunder, who posted a 16-3 record during that time. McCain was collecting 12.3 points a game in his 19.3 minutes. He was shooting 46.9 percent from the floor and 44 percent from three. He is playing with a super team and has fit seamlessly in with them, which should be a bit easier when paired with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and others.
"He's fit in very well with the group," said OKC coach Mark Daigneault. "It's felt like he's been here longer than he has. I think that's a credit to him, I think that's a credit to our team. He's come in with great respect for this group of guys. He's done so with confidence. He hasn't been deferential. He's been who he is and has played aggressively and confidently. It says a lot about our team the way they have gone out of their way to make sure that we're getting the best version of him."
Since the trade, Grimes has played 18 games (10-8), with 11 starts due to an abundance of absences. He has averaged 16.7 points on 47.8 field goal percentage, including 29 percent from three. He has been getting a boatload of minutes during that time (30.6 per game), and has averaged 21.6 over his last nine games. He has become a needed scorer for a severely short-handed team.
Grimes may be a better fit when/if the team is fully healthy, as he would be expected to be that instant scorer off the bench, which is something every team needs when they trim the rotation down to eight or nine come playoff time. McCain certainly would have found his niche, if given the opportunity. But would he have gotten it? He was cemented as the fourth guard here, and with that, probably would have only garnered limited time. Kind of what Cam Payne would get with a full team.
The only real certainty is this — Grimes was in a contract struggle this past offseason with the Sixers before they finally agreed on a one-year deal worth $8.74 million. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season. McCain signed a four-year deal in 2024 for a total of $14.95 million. There is little debate as to what the better decision could have been when it comes to that.
Much of this will have to be decided once the draft picks that the Sixers acquired have played out, of course, and perhaps many minds may not be changed. And maybe they shouldn't. The love for McCain won't soon dissipate, and he furthered his cause as a city favorite with his words at Monday morning's shootaround.
"It means a lot," said McCain to reporters at the shootaround. "I always loved the Philly fans. They were super nice to me whenever I went out, when I got hurt. Coming back from it they were just super positive and super helpful in my opinion. So, shoutout to them for having my back, I guess, through the process.
"Definitely love for the Philly fans for life. To be drafted here, when I first got drafted, it's obviously the greatest day of my life. I'll always be thankful for Philly, for Daryl (Morey) for drafting me. It's a once in a lifetime thing, so I'll never have any regret of being here, any attitude towards this organization because they drafted me. This is the best feeling and I was so grateful to be here, and still I'm grateful to be back here now."
Let the debate rage on.
