Jared McCain a Go, Others Out for OKC Thunder vs. Rockets

OKC’s newest guard is a go for Saturday’s game.

Jan 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) reacts to his three pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face off against the Houston Rockets on Saturday afternoon, potentially with its newest addition taking the court.

The NBA’s trade deadline officially came and went, wit the Thunder predictably inserting themselves as one of the more active teams in the league. Even with the entirety of its championship rotation, OKC was able to upgrade at the deadline, grabbing Philadelphia guard Jared McCain for a bevy of draft picks.

The No. 16 pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, McCain had early Rookie of the Year buzz in his first season, but went down with a season-ending injury, and has been unable to find the same rhythm.

Now, he’ll be apart of the Thunder’s surging core, with the franchise hoping he can make an impact given where the injury report stands currently.

Here are the injury reports for both the Thunder and Rockets:

OKC Thunder Injuries:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — Out: Abdominal strain

Ajay Mitchell — Out: Abdominal strain

Thomas Sorber — Out: Right ACL recovery

Nikola Topic — Out: N/A

Jalen Williams — Out: Right hamstring strain

Houston Rockets injuries:

Steven Adams — Out: Left ankle surgery

Tristen Newton — Out: G League

Jae’Sean Tate — Out: Left wrist contusion

Fred VanVleet — Out: Right knee ACL repair

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After being traded Wednesday, McCain is a go for Saturday's game, though Oklahoma City could be conservative with his minutes given he's been thrust into a new situation. McCain played in just 16.8 minutes per game for the 76ers, averaging 6.6 points on 38% shooting overall.

The Thunder will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he continued to work his way back from an abdominal injury. As of now, the team is set to evaluate his status following the All-Star break, meaning he’ll miss at least four more games.

OKC will also be without All-Star Jalen Williams as he works through a hamstring injury, as well as Ajay Mitchell, who has also been out a handful of games due to an abdominal strain.

The Rockets are without two major contributors, most notably starting guard Fred VanVleet, who has left the team without the necessary handling and play-making to contend for the top spots in the Western Conference this season.

They’ll also be without former Thunder center Steven Adams, as he’s undergone season-ending ankle surgery. 

The Thunder and Rockets tip off at 2:30 p.m. CT from Oklahoma City, OK.