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Thaddeus Young is the subject of one of the latest NBA trade rumors, with the Phoenix Suns reportedly among the favorites to land the veteran forward.
This report comes from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who said there are other teams interested in the player’s services.
“The Suns are among the contenders who have pursued Spurs forward Thaddeus Young, sources said,” Charania wrote. “San Antonio acquired Young in a sign-and-trade — along with a first-round pick and two second-round picks — and now are expected to receive strong interest in the veteran forward from competitive teams.”
NBA Trade Rumors: Thaddeus Young’s value to a team
Last season, Thaddeus Young averaged 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He shot a career-high 55.9 percent from the field while playing 24.3 minutes.
As one of the top role players in the league, the 33-year-old was awarded the 2020-21 NBA Hustle Award after he “led all players in charges drawn and offensive loose balls recovered on a per-minute basis.”
Any NBA team, especially title contenders, would love to have Thaddeus Young.
However, the San Antonio Spurs are probably going to ask for a package that will help them in the present as well as the future. Young was acquired from the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal centered around DeMar DeRozan earlier this month. Young will make $14.19 million next season in the final year of his contract.
With the Spurs having 17 players with guaranteed contracts on their roster, it’s more than likely that Young will be traded before the season begins.
With that in mind, which teams should be in line to try and pry away Thaddeus Young from the San Antonio Spurs?
3. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are full to the brim with players on guaranteed contracts, but they may have players and other assets that the San Antonio Spurs are looking for.
Though the Grizzlies were in the playoffs last season, they only did so after surviving the play-in tournament. They can’t afford to do that year after year and expect to go deep into the postseason.
Thaddeus Young would provide some stability to the frontcourt for the Grizzlies, who have shaken up their roster in a bid to be more competitive beyond the regular season. However, their roster is still in flux, and teams are still waiting to see what they’re going to do heading into training camp.
If they can offer a package that will make the Spurs happy in exchange for Thaddeus Young, it would help them climb up the defensive rating ladder, where they were already seventh-best last season (110.5).
2. Dallas Mavericks
Thaddeus Young would be an excellent addition to the current Dallas Mavericks squad.
After failing to land Lauri Markkanen this offseason, the Mavericks should shift their attention from an offensive-minded youngster to a defense-focused veteran. Thaddeus Young would improve the team's number of possessions and give up fewer points at the other end.
The Mavs had the eighth-best offensive rating last season but were 21st in defensive rating. Bringing in Thaddeus Young would be a huge boost for them, and his presence would stop teams from scoring too many points against them.
As good as Luka Doncic is, he will need someone who can silence players like Paul George and LeBron James in an NBA playoff series. With the current roster, the Mavs don’t have a guy with the skills that Young has.
If the Dallas Mavericks want to compete for a title next season, they need to pick up the phone and give the Spurs a call, if they haven’t already.
1. Phoenix Suns
After the LA Lakers retooled this offseason, the Phoenix Suns’ reign as the Western Conference champions is now in serious jeopardy.
Though chemistry and fit issues appear to be the greatest threats to the 17-time champions, many still believe that the Lakers are the team to beat in the West.
The Phoenix Suns hardly moved the needle in their bid to become stronger title contenders. Instead, they seemed to be content with the additions of Landry Shamet and JaVale McGee as their “major” summer acquisitions.
If the Suns were to add Thaddeus Young, however, they would have a player who can guard multiple frontcourt positions and score in double-figures as well.
As deep as the Phoenix Suns are at almost every position, they showed their weakness in the NBA Finals as they had no answer for a player like the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Though virtually every team would have had problems guarding the two-time MVP, a championship contender must be prepared to counter the league’s best wingmen with a player who can limit their effectiveness. Thaddeus Young can do that for the Suns, and he would fit perfectly in their offensive and defensive systems.
If the NBA trade rumors are proven true, the Phoenix Suns should be the top landing spot for the latest winner of the Hustle Award.
Guess the Lakers players!
