After four games with the Thunder, it seems Jared McCain is becoming a good pickup for OKC, but can he help them in the coming playoff chase? He’s the only big acquisition that the team has made so far, and that means they’re betting on him to make an impact.

Since coming back from a freak injury that cost him his rookie season, McCain is slowly getting back to his form. Before he got sidelined, McCain was one of the few rookies who were averaging 15 points per game. In his four games with OKC, he’s definitely showing signs of improvement–nearly closing in on his former level of play.

With averages of 9.2 points and 3.0 assists on 45/43/83 splits. That’s just in four games. That’s already better than his two seasons in Philadelphia combined. So far, he’s adding a promising dynamic to this OKC squad, and it says a lot about his value that made OKC come up with the trade.

McCain isn’t the shiniest player that OKC acquired on all trade deadlines in history. However, one can say that he’s definitely showing signs of a massive steal for the Thunder once more. This just means that Oklahoma City may be the silent winners of the trade deadline.

OKC’s Knack For Acquiring Talented Players

By now, you should be aware of how OKC is known for being able to steal players via trades and other offseason transactions. We’ve seen how they’ve managed to turn Ajay Mitchell into a $9 million, three-year deal, and he translated into one of the most promising players of this season. Then there’s the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein, who was acquired without much of a hefty deal, and then Alex Caruso–who was traded in a straight swap for Josh Giddey.

One of the notable steals in the offseason for OKC is Isaiah Joe, who was acquired by the Thunder in 2022 for a minimum deal. He turned out to be one of the most dynamic pieces in the roster, becoming one of their most efficient shooters so far.

Searching for talent is one thing, but investing in scouting is another. Their Draft history says a lot about that. They’ve brought in talents like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams. Heck, they even found Ajay Mitchell in the second round and traded picks just to get him.

With Sam Presti being vocal in his desire to acquire McCain, it all now makes sense that this was a calculated trade all along. Sure, Ousmane Dieng is now performing well in Milwaukee, but the Thunder are also finding a reliable playmaker and a promising shooter in the long run.

What Should Fans Expect from McCain

Four games are a very small sample size to set up a lot of expectations for McCain in the long run. OKC holds him under his rookie deal with the Sixers. Who knows? Maybe the Thunder are just really good at turning former Philly players who played two years with the team into productive bench players who can play big for them.

So far, the Thunder are gearing up for a massive second-half campaign. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may be returning soon, and so is Jalen Williams. We may see the defending champions finally at full strength, and that’s a sight fans would not want to pass up. McCain, for what it’s worth, is definitely due for a much bigger run in the coming weeks.