The Philadelphia 76ers are sending Jared McCain to the Delaware Blue Coats in a move aimed at jump-starting his recovery from a brutal run of injuries and a rocky start to his season, multiple outlets confirmed on November 13. McCain, who is working his way back from both a torn meniscus and a torn UCL in his thumb, has opened his campaign 0-for-9 from the field in three games as he tries to rediscover his rhythm.
Sixers Send Jared McCain to G League As Part of Injury Recovery
GettyJared McCain has had a tough reintroduction to the NBA after coming back from injuries. The Sixers elected to send him to the G League to work out the kinks.
McCainâs road back has been anything but easy. The second-yard guard had his 2024-25 season cut short after just 23 games due to a torn meniscus in his left knee, a significant setback after he began carving out a role in the rotation. As he rehabbed that injury, he was hit with another blow: a torn UCL in his right thumb suffered before training camp in September.
Those two injuries have left McCain playing catch-up while the rest of the roster has been grinding through the early part of the season. In his first three games back, he has gone 0-for-9 from the floor and has looked understandably out of sorts as he tries to adjust to game speed again.
Rather than letting him struggle at the NBA level while the 76ers fight through their own wave of injuries, the team is sending McCain to the Delaware Blue Coats, their G League affiliate. The move should give him more minutes, more touches and more freedom to play through mistakes than he would get in a shortened and injury-depleted rotation in Philadelphia.
The assignment is expected to be short-term, with the clear goal of getting McCain comfortable, confident and fully up to speed for the stretch of the season when the games matter most.
Why the Jared McCain Move Is Not a Demotion
GettyJared McCain flashed some star power a season ago before injuries derailed his rookie campaign.
On the surface, a trip from the NBA to the G League can look like a demotion, especially for a young guard who showed promise before his injuries. In McCainâs case, the context makes it clear this is more about development and protection than punishment.
The 76ers are dealing with multiple injuries across the roster and are trying to balance staying afloat in the standings with making sure their young players are ready when theyâre needed. McCain is coming off a torn meniscus in his left knee and a torn UCL in his right thumb â two injuries that affect his movement, balance, ball-handling and shooting.
Throwing him into high-leverage NBA minutes while heâs clearly still shaking off rust would not help him or the team. In Delaware, McCain can play starter-level minutes, handle the ball more, and get up a high volume of shots without the pressure of a packed NBA arena and nightly scouting reports targeting his weaknesses.
This is the kind of move contenders routinely make with young players coming off serious injuries. It allows McCain to ramp up his conditioning, get used to taking contact again and work on timing and reads in real game situations. The expectation is that heâll return to the 76ers more prepared to contribute instead of forcing the process at the NBA level.
What It Means for the 76ers and Their Guard Rotation
For Philadelphia, the McCain decision temporarily tightens the backcourt options but could pay off later in the season. In the short term, it means more responsibility for the other guards on the roster as the team continues to navigate its injury situation and search for consistent scoring and playmaking.
In the long term, the 76ers clearly view McCain as someone who can help them when healthy and confident. Giving him a controlled environment to find that confidence could be crucial once the schedule intensifies and playoff positioning becomes a bigger focus.
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