NBA insider provides vital update on 76ers rookie Jared McCain following guard's scary fall vs Nets
Late in the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia 76ers' home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, rookie Jared McCain took a hard fall, appearing to hit his head after going up for a second-chance bucket. Immediately, referee Bill Kennedy noticed that something was wrong with the guard, blowing the whistle to provide Philly with a medical timeout.
Following the game, coach Nick Nurse told media members that McCain was at the hospital after having trouble breathing. On Thursday, NBA insider Chris Haynes provided an update on McCain's status, reporting that the rookie standout is at home resting.
In addition, Haynes also provided further clarity on the injury sustained by McCain, explaining that he experienced "pulmonary contusions" and will be re-evaluated for a concussion later in the day.
From the sounds of things, based on the update from Haynes, despite the scary-looking fall, McCain avoided any kind of serious injury.
Although the update provided by Haynes is an optimistic one, it's unclear how long Jared McCain will be sidelined. Following Wednesday's game with the Nets, the 76ers will be back in action on Friday, before then tipping off the regular season with a home game against the Bucks on Wednesday.
Jared McCain likely to spend time in the G League despite impressing teammates during training camp
Leading up to his rookie season with the 76ers, Jared McCain has impressed both fans and teammates alike. During training camp, the Duke product made an impression on his teammates, earning praise from Joel Embiid and Eric Gordon.
While speaking with media members earlier this month, former MVP Joel Embiid went so far as to say that the team's best player has been Jared McCain. In addition, Eric Gordon was left impressed by McCain. Gordon was quoted by 76ers beat writer Lauren Rosen as saying:
“He can play. Without a doubt. I would say he’s going to have a good, long career.”
Despite that, and the fact that McCain has averaged 12.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the preseason, Nick Nurse plans on having him spend some time in the G League. While speaking with media members earlier this month, Nurse was quoted by NBC Sports Philly:
“There’s a lot of guys. … I think he’s [McCain] gonna get a chance, I think he’s gonna spend some time in the G League. … We’ll see what happens. … I really like him and Bona.”
With the season right around the corner, it will be interesting to see how long McCain is sidelined for after Wednesday's fall, and whether or not his preseason play is enough to secure him a consistent rotational spot off the bench.