The Sixers’ misfortune continues! It has not been easy for Philly fans to see their team face constant injury concerns since the start of the season. Of course, the frequent lineup changes are one of the reasons they are among the bottom 4 teams in the East. Unfortunately, their misery is not going to end anytime soon, as the latest update on Jared McCain shatters hope amid Joel Embiid’s absence.

Well, it was during last Friday’s Pacers clash that McCain suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. Now, the good news is that he underwent successful surgery today to repair the injured knee. However, he has been ruled out indefinitely until he gets back to complete fitness. Obviously, this is a massive blow for the 76ers because McCain had been the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year!

Utilizing the opportunity that was given to him amid the absence of the team’s superstars, Jared was averaging 15.3 points and nearly three assists. Moreover, McCain’s injury comes at a very bad time for the Sixers because their hands are already full, dealing with Joel Embiid’s injury woes. Yes, just 2 games after returning from his lingering knee issues, the former MVP suffered a sinus fracture after taking an accidental hit to the face from Bennedict Mathurin last Friday. And it remains to be seen when he will get back to action.

Reports suggest that he will probably miss the next 2 games. After sitting out the upcoming Hornets and Cavaliers clash, he will be evaluated in approximately one week. So far, he has only played six games and is averaging 20.3 points, nowhere close to what is expected of him.

Nick Nurse reveals thoughts on Jared McCain’s injury and potential ROTY miss

Although the ROTY award is not impacted by the league’s 65-game eligibility rule, Jared McCain could naturally miss out on the trophy if he misses a lot of weeks. That’s because other rookies are likely to catch up and finish with a more productive season. Sure enough, head coach Nick Nurse understands that McCain might have missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, “Never really get a chance to go back and try to win a Rookie of the Year Award, which I think is a major—that’s a major one to have.”

He continued, “I mean, if you can get that thing, and you get that for the rest of your life, and one point in time you were Rookie of the Year, it’s obviously a tough way to go out and not having that, but again, keep it in perspective. It’s a long career. Hopefully, and get him as healthy as we can and get him ready to go as soon as we can.”

Well, it was only a few weeks ago when Jared McCain had claimed, “I’m Rookie of the Year!” after one of his epic shooting displays. And it’s heartbreaking that he might miss out on a well-deserved award because of an unfortunate injury. One thing is a sure shot though- the young gun’s coming back stronger; he has the temperament and belief that any coach would expect.