Rylan Stiles

I'm very happy to be here.

This feels like a great debut.

I feel like Jerry McCain getting traded to the NBA champs.

It's not as exciting as getting on a private jet, but it was a fun voyage over here to get on the show.

I think that Jared McCain's fitting in really well, especially as a guy that obviously hasn't had time yet to learn the systems, learn the playbook, et cetera.

But when you look at Jared McCain, his shooting gravity is like the first thing that jumps out of just having a guy who can truly make defenses stay honest to him, and you can envision how he could allow Shea and Jada and these other guys to allow them to have even more space to create, more space to get buckets.

And his shooting ability is second to none on this team with him and Isaiah Joe, but

both pairing together really nicely already.

And while we talk about how great they've been in the 98th percentile of their net rating, those two guys have not shared the floor with one of J-Dub or Shea, even though J-Dub has played whenever McCain's been healthy.

So McCain's ability to shoot, but also he's shown some creation a little bit in his time, whenever he's come off the eight shows with I-Heart, picking roles and being able to facilitate.

So I think that there is a pathway for McCain to be a very important piece to this team.

Outside of his shooting, I think that it is about his relocation ability.

Since he's gotten to OKC every year, it's taken a step forward, none bigger than this year.

It's the stuff like the two-man game with Isaiah Hartenstein, where those guys are on just a different wavelength.

If you can toss the ball to Ihart at the top of the key, then cut back door and get to the rim downhill, and he can come off those DHOs and then see someone flying at him at the three-point line.

and drive into the rim.

So he's just more comfortable at all three levels right now than he has been in the past.

And I think that his relocation around the perimeter, which I know is tied into his shooting, but that's helped him also take a step forward as a three-point shooter.

So his offensive game has been really impressive.

But then defensively, he's also a way more competitive defender.