76ers’ McCain out indefinitely due to torn lateral meniscus

An already disappointing season for the Philadelphia 76ers took another blow on Saturday when the team announced that rookie guard Jared McCain, one of its few bright spots, will undergo surgery for a torn lateral meniscus and will be out indefinitely.

McCain, 20, has been arguably the best rookie in this year’s class, averaging 15.3 points (best among rookies) while shooting 46% from the field and 38.3% from deep. 3 point range. He also leads all rookies in three-pointers made (51) and has scored at least 25 points in four games.

The 16th 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 just one (Sunday’s win in Chicago) with all of them on the court.

Embiid, who has played in just six games this season, left Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers with a fractured sinus. His status will be reevaluated sometime this weekend before Monday’s game in Charlotte.

Philadelphia is 7-16 on the season, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference. He 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 Area, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday, for the 10th and final play-in spot. east. image.