An already disappointing season for the Philadelphia 76ers took yet another hit Saturday when the team announced that rookie guard Jared McCain — one of its few bright spots — will undergo surgery on a lateral meniscus tear and is out indefinitely.
McCain, 20, has been arguably the top rookie in this year’s class, averaging 15.3 points — tops among rookies — while shooting 46% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range. He also leads all rookies in 3-pointers made (51) and has scored at least 25 points in four games.
The No. 16 pick out of Duke is one of three Philadelphia players (Kelly Oubre Jr., Guerschon Yabusele) to have played in all 23 games for the 76ers, whose injury woes have been the defining story of their season.
Stars Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey have played together in just three games and finished only one — Sunday’s win in Chicago — with all of them on the floor.
Embiid, who has played in only six games this season, left Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers with a sinus fracture. His status will be reevaluated at some point this weekend ahead of Monday’s game in Charlotte.
Philadelphia is 7-16 on the season, good for 12th place in the Eastern Conference. It is two games behind the Brooklyn Nets — who are finalizing a deal with the Golden State Warriors to send guard Dennis Schroder to the Bay, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday — for the 10th and final spot in the East’s play-in picture.
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