November 11, 2025
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
Jared McCain has not scored in either of his two appearances in 2025-26.
Last week, much of our Sixers mailbag was devoted to whether or not Jared McCain had become an expendable asset.
This week, much of our Sixers mailbag will be devoted to whether or not McCain’s two short and scoreless appearances to begin his second NBA season should be causes for significant concern.
Why does McCain’s mobility look so limited? Should the Sixers just sit the 21-year-old down until he appears to be at full strength?
Answering your latest questions on McCain and another one of the Sixers’ struggling sophomores:
From @dubb390.bsky.social: What’s your concern level regarding Jared McCain? The massive knee brace scares me a bit. I’ve never seen an effective player wearing something that cumbersome.
You actually have seen someone wear a massive, bulky knee brace and find a way to be effective. It is Joel Embiid, who has far more experience wearing knee braces than any person should in their life. Embiid has been a sounding board for McCain, who said the former NBA MVP was the first person to reach out to him after he tore his meniscus last December and tore the UCL in his right thumb in September.
“Any time I have a question, I know I can go to him,” McCain said. “Whether it's on the bench, in practice, I can text and call him, like whatever it is, I know he's going to respond.”
That plays into what McCain believes is the most frustrating part of this. He is doing all he can to study up: how to avoid losing balance, how to find trust exploding off his left leg, which sleeves to use under the brace, how to impact the game in extremely short stints and stay warm while on the bench. But there is just nothing he can do to really learn other than to play.
“It's really frustrating when you feel like you can prepare as much as possible but it's just not clicking as much as you want it to,” McCain said. “But I mean, I give myself a lot of grace. I know I've been through a long process. It's almost been in a year, so I'm just happy to be back.”
Until McCain gets the brace removed or finds the key to withstanding its presence, it is difficult to imagine him being a critical rotation piece. The Sixers are making a concerted effort to pair him with Tyrese Maxey so that McCain is never being asked to create much offense. In theory, he should be able to help as an off-ball player given his brilliant shooting talent, but everything is easier said than done right now.
So, for the time being, the concern level about the quality of McCain’s minutes is high. From what he has described, this brace has presented enormous challenges.
But long-term, McCain is going to get the brace removed, his movement will return to where it was and his tremendous offensive skills will be able to do the talking again. McCain is not going to have his excellent scoring and shooting skills zapped at age 21, even if his second season ends up being a lot slower to develop than anyone would have hoped.
MORE: McCain's unusual usage, a vote of confidence in Nick Nurse, more
From @Bill_ONeill: Do you think it makes sense to sit McCain until he can take off the offensive lineman knee brace? Seems to be impacting his movement.
In theory, this is an interesting idea. The issue is that, based on a comment McCain made last week, there is not yet an end in sight for the utilization of his knee brace.
“I think I'm being reevaluated for it in like a month,” McCain said. “But we'll see. Whatever the doctors say I'm going to go with, but my hopes would definitely be to get it off as soon as possible. It shouldn't be the rest of the year.”
So, with McCain wearing the brace indefinitely — and his team in need of rotation help but not desperate for backcourt play specifically — there is a runway for the Sixers to play McCain limited minutes in hopes of improving his balance and stability.
If the quality of McCain’s minutes do not improve, the presences of Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes will ensure he is never too important of a rotation piece. If they do, the Sixers will get a head start on reaping the benefits of having four talented young guards capable of handling, passing and shooting.
MORE: Uncharacteristic offensive struggles plague Sixers in loss to Pistons
From @ccfc21: Is Justin Edwards at risk of being cut if he doesn't show some development soon?
No. Edwards has definitely missed out on a terrific opportunity to solidify himself as a rotation regular early in the regular season, but he is not at risk of being cut.
Edwards is on such a team-friendly contract — owed about $7 million over the next three years — that there is no opportunity cost to waiving him. Finding rotation pieces on deals like his is part of staying afloat as a high-priced team, and the Sixers should give Edwards every chance to prove his rookie season was not a mirage.
Edwards looked like the perfect young role player, a high-feel wing with defensive versatility and quick offensive decision-making. But so far in 2025-26, the hometown kid has just not been able to knock down enough shots. His decision-making has been a tick or two slower; Edwards is clearly in his own head a bit right now. He is out of sorts.
Justin Edwards hesitates on a spot-up three-point shot he should take every time. He gets the ball back and drives, but picks up his dribble far too early. The Sixers end up with a lost possession: pic.twitter.com/A2FmcOOYB4
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) November 9, 2025
Edwards has a lot of believers in the locker room, from Sixers head coach Nick Nurse to many of the leaders on the roster. And the makeup of a high-caliber wing role player remains in place. Some three-point variance working in his favor instead of against him would help paint a prettier picture, but Edwards also needs to get back to making wise snap judgements when the ball is swung his way.
MORE: Kyle Lowry may be 'old as hell,' but he means everything to his teammates
