Thaddeus Young has been a reliable and productive player over his 14-year NBA career, with this season being no exception. The 32-year-old has been an impactful force off the Chicago Bulls bench, averaging 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals across 25.1 minutes per game.
Thaddeus Young Could Be An Impactful Add
Young brings a smooth, two-way skill set to the table. He's a sly inside player who can score off the dribble and hits the boards at a high rate and a solid post defender. Recent reports have the Bulls retaining Young, who is in the second season of a three-year, $44 million deal, rather than moving him before the March 25 trade deadline. At the same time, such reports could very well be a ploy to get teams to offer the Bulls more for the veteran forward.
Here are three teams who could trade for Thaddeus Young.
3) Boston Celtics
Celtics receive: Thaddeus Young
Bulls receive: Daniel Theis, Romeo Langford, a 2021 second-round draft pick via the Oklahoma City Thunder and a 2022 second-round draft pick
The Celtics need a boost, and Young would be a savvy midseason addition for head coach Brad Stevens' rotation.
The Celtics offense has relied too much on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and Young would provide them with a scoring boost. Young can operate in the post, finish in the paint, and has a capable jump shot. His versatile skill set could be used in a variety of ways with Boston. On one hand, Young could start at the four and add another scoring threat to the starting five. He could also come off the bench and help lift the second unit.
The Celtics have been playing better of late, winners of four of their last five games. However, their recent success shouldn't stop them from making a move to enhance their chances of winning the Eastern Conference. They can afford to trade the reliable Theis given their inside depth (Tristan Thompson, Robert Williams III, and Grant Williams), and Langford is yet to see the floor this season due to injuries.
The Bulls can attempt to kickstart Langford's career while adding some draft capital and potentially flipping Theis for more assets. The knock against the Celtics making a move for Young would be him taking playing time away from Robert and Grant Williams, who are still coming into their own, respectively.
2) Dallas Mavericks
Mavericks receive: Thaddeus Young
Bulls receive: Dwight Powell, Wes Iwundu, Josh Green and a 2022 second-round draft pick
Thaddeus Young would be a splendid addition to the Mavericks rotation.
While Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are a vibrant star duo, the Mavericks have scoring threats around them in Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson, and Jalen Brunson. They would benefit from a player who's accustomed to being more of a pure scoring threat. While a respectable shooter from outside the paint, Young could be utilized as an inside scorer. He would provide head coach Rick Carlisle with a smoother and more skilled scorer than most of his current bigs with the exception of Porzingis.
The Mavericks are ranked 18th in the NBA in points per game (111.9) despite some of the reputable players in their rotation. Their core is in place, so it's just a matter of complementing it. Thaddeus Young would be a tremendous complement to Porzingis. They can start next to each other, as their skill sets wouldn't interfere with each other, or Young could come off the bench and help lead the scoring charge.
Young is an upgrade over Powell, and Iwundu and Green are infrequent participants in the Mavericks rotation. From Chicago's perspective, they could give Iwundu and Green the playing time to prove themselves and get into a groove before the regular season ends. The one factor working against the Mavericks trading for Young would be that he'd cloud their ability to acquire a third star via trade.
1) Philadelphia 76ers
76ers receive: Thaddeus Young
Bulls receive: Mike Scott, Terrance Ferguson, Tony Bradley, and a 2022 first-round draft pick
Reuniting with a player they selected in the first round back in 2007 makes a ton of sense for the Philadelphia 76ers and Young.
The 76ers sport the best record in the Eastern Conference and are operating like a well-oiled machine on both ends of the floor. At the same time, the 76ers should be taking no chances when it comes to trying to finally breakthrough in the playoffs. Young could be the sixth man for head coach Doc Rivers, serving as instant offense and a starting-caliber player off the bench.
A bench that would include Young, Shake Milton, Tyrese Maxey, and Dwight Howard would be arguably the best bench unit in the NBA. They would have players who can score, and are on the rise. Depending on matchups, the 76ers could play Young in-between Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid in crunch time.
The Bulls could give Ferguson and Bradley considerable playing time, which they're not receiving with the 76ers while corralling a future first-rounder. Plus, Embiid is nursing a knee injury, which is concerning for a player with an extensive injury history. The 76ers could use as much impactful depth as possible, making surrendering a reasonable haul for Young worth the price of admission.
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