Home / Sports / Sixers Trade McCain: Tax Dodge or Smart Move?
Sixers Trade McCain: Tax Dodge or Smart Move?
22 Feb
Summary
- Sixers traded Jared McCain to OKC for draft picks.
- Team claims luxury tax pressure, not just draft picks, was key.
- Moves suggest tax avoidance was the primary motivation.
The Philadelphia 76ers recently traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, receiving draft picks in return. Team president Daryl Morey stated that the NBA's first apron was the main driver for this decision. However, the team's subsequent roster moves indicate that avoiding the luxury tax was the true impetus behind the trade.
Following the trade, the Sixers made additional signings, including Dominick Barlow, Cam Payne, and Jabari Walker. These maneuvers have placed the team just under the luxury tax threshold. This strategic financial maneuvering suggests a pattern of avoiding luxury tax penalties, despite Morey's initial explanation focusing on the first apron's pressures.
While Morey also suggested the team "sold high" on McCain due to his limited path to a starting role, the timing of the trade, coupled with the team's subsequent actions to get under the tax line, points to financial motivations. The Sixers are now positioned to potentially use future draft picks for similar tax-dumping maneuvers.
