Sports fans love to play the what if game. It can be fun, but also painful to think of what could have been for your favorite teams and players. Well, this is a potentially painful game of what if as we wonder what could have been with the New Orleans Pelicans and Jared McCain.
The Pelicans missed a perfect opportunity to buy low on McCain and acquire him at this past season’s trade deadline.  Instead, the Duke sharpshooter was moved from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 first-round pick (22nd overall) and three future second-round picks.
We don’t know what the Pelicans would have had to give up getting McCain. They already traded their 2026 first-round pick in that infamous Derik Queen trade with the Atlanta Hawks. A future first-round pick with heavy protections along with a few second-round picks could have done the trick.
Jared McCain is an elite three-point shooter
The Pelicans would have gotten a former 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft who already showed signs of being an impact player in his rookie season when he averaged over 15 points per game on 38% shotting from three-point range.
On top of that, McCain has stepped up in a big way for the Thunder in this year’s playoffs. He is shooting over 50% from three in eight games and had a ridiculous plus 27 in the Thunder’s series clinching game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
When you think about the fact that McCain is still in only his second season, there is a lot of potential for him to get even better.
Watching McCain light it up in the playoffs for the Thunder is a painful reminder that the Pelicans could have had him on their roster for what would be a relatively low price. After a very strong rookie season, McCain’s minutes dropped significantly in his second season, giving teams an opportunity to buy low on the star guard.
What if Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver did pull the trigger on a trade for McCain?
The Pelicans would have added an elite shooter to help space the floor around Zion Williamson. Imagine putting Trey Murphy and McCain on the floor with Williamson. They could have finally had elite spacing around their star player. Spending time playing alongside Williamson could have also potentially unlocked another level for McCain.
Unfortunately, we will never know what could have been for the Pelicans and McCain. Instead, Pelicans fans must sit and watch the Thunder reap the rewards of their trade for McCain.
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