Suns: What Thaddeus Young buyout target will bring to Phoenix

Suns acquired Thaddeus Young in the buyout market on his $8 million salary, changing a team vision from its previous bench unit.

The Phoenix Suns reportedly signed Thaddeus Young, finally. Young is someone the Suns have wanted for the past two years, specifically.

Free agent F Thaddeus Young is finalizing a deal to join the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. More veteran, frontline depth for the Suns’ stretch and playoff run. Young has spent the past two-plus seasons with the Toronto Raptors. pic.twitter.com/Ilyq2leTx2

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 13, 2024

Young's $8 million salary is enough to slide under the $12.8 million figure the Suns capped at for the buyout market. Phoenix is said to be interested in another player, with The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin reporting the Suns' potential interest in longtime player Danilo Galinari.

Here is a preview of Young's strengths, which is something Phoenix is using to seemingly build a small-ball centric lineup with defensive versatility outside of 7-footer Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns play the Sacramento Kings, a Pacific Division rival, Tuesday.

Young strengths

Young is one of the more crafty players in the league. He is left-handed, which means he will force defenders to shield their body in help-side defense at a different angle than normal.

Young has the ability to hit from mid-range and drive to the basket.

Young, who is 35 years old, in 2021 was named the NBA's hustle award winner. Young is someone who plays like Josh Okogie, who is known for being a pesky on-ball defender and a transition threat to finish above the rim.

Young, according to Statues, is one of three players all-time to average 12+1 points and over five rebounds and a steal per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field and 30 percent from three, including the Lakers' legend Magic Johnson and current superstar and arguably the best player ever, LeBron James.

Young has spent the last two seasons with the Toronto Raptors. Although he is not a high-volume scorer like before, he remains a threat around the short corner and could be used in the high post. The Suns have faced zone defenses, so Young can attack the basket and also pass out since he averaged a career-best 4.2 assists per game in 2020-21.

Lefties can make defenses shift. They force defenders, specifically around the block, to commit higher than usual, opening driving lanes for Young/themselves and either cuts or open threes from corner players.

Typically, that makes help-side defenses have to either trace Young or commit to corner 3-point shooters. Young, who is 6-foot-8, can use his transition athleticism and even play at the elbows to force defenses to commit. Suns guard Grayson Allen and forward Kevin Durant would see plenty more 3-point looks if Young is capable of scoring at the rim.

Suns coach Frank Vogel is defensive-minded. Young is someone who has a 7-foot-1 wingspan, which can make him dangerous one pass away or as a rim protector.

Phoenix's small-ball lineup with Durant, Allen, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon dominated the Sacramento Kings. Could Young be someone who could play a small-ball five with Durant helping him?

Young development

At 35, it is unclear if Young will be able to be a capable role player for 15-plus minutes. Phoenix also has O'Neale, who figures to be a starter next to the Suns' Big 3 in the future because of his 29-game experience as a playoff starter with the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets. O'Neale is also a prolific 3-point shooter, and Young isn't (32.8 percent for his career and 17 percent around, this season in 2023-24).

Young is going to have to be fast. The Suns are among the slowest teams in the NBA, which is something assistant Kevin Young and his offensive group must improve. Phoenix has been credited with simplifying its offense but the Suns need to be faster in the half-court.

Young can be a small-ball five in lineups without Durant. With Durant, he can play the four, which would give the Suns a unique front court at 6-foot-8 and 7-feet (Durant jokes he is not, but he is), respectively, that can attack the rim and push the full court pace in transition.

Here are some of Young's percentiles in respective offensive and defensive categories from Bball Index.

Expectations

Young is someone who can be reliable as a small-ball five.

He may not earn more minutes than O'Neale, but he figures to be an upgrade from a proven player projection over Eubanks.

Stay tuned for more on Young and the Suns from ClutchPoints' Trevor Booth.