76ers' young guard tabbed as NBA's best trade piece

The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the most interesting teams in the league, and they might be able to make a big splash soon.

Over the past couple of years, things have gone downhill for the 76ers. After a tough Game 7 loss in the second round in 2023, the team traded James Harden and has been struggling to achieve similar success since.

Still, the team enters next season with an opportunity to be one of the best in the league. Assuming Joel Embiid and Paul George could stay healthy, there might be an opportunity for the team to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals. 

However, if the team feels it might not be ready to fully compete for a title, it might have best trade piece in the entire league. In a recent Bleacher Report article ranking the top trade chips in the league, Zach Buckley tabbed Jared McCain as the league’s best.

McCain had a breakout rookie season for the 76ers before suffering a season-ending injury. While McCain could certainly play a key role for Philadelphia next season and beyond, he is certainly not the best version of himself in year two, and his star potential could be enough to help the 76ers swing for the fences if an opportunity presents itself.

Now with VJ Edgecombe in the fold and Quentin Grimes’ late-season breakout, McCain is much more expendable than it seemed six months ago. Still, for the 76ers to part with their second-year star, it might take a perfect offer.