Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Philadelphia 76ers were believed to have one of the best guard rotations in the NBA. Thirty-four games into the year, however, that optimism has begun to fade, with Jared McCain showing no signs of breaking out of his sophomore slump.
The guard has yet to build on his short-lived rookie campaign, during which he eclipsed 15 points per game. His deadeye three-point shooting and physical drives to the basket that once dazzled fans have come few and far between this season. McCain’s slump has shed light on his defensive struggles, forcing Nick Nurse to further rely upon VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes.