Thaddeus Young's future
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Thaddeus Young's future
We're getting closer to the first draft workout at PCOM, the 76ers' practice facility. Look for that first workout to be somewhere around June 1, three weeks before the 2011 NBA Draft that's scheduled to be held June 23. We've covered the draft prospects ad naseum on this blog. If you want to read about some of the power forwards/centers that the Sixers could be looking to snag with the No. 16 pick, you can find that here: Sizing it up. If you just can't get enough and you want to read about the pre-Chicago combine assessment of the bigs in the draft, that's here: big men. If you want to read about the fringe possibility of drafting a shooting guard, you can find that information here: shooting guards. And if you still want to read more, you can get updates on three Sixers through earlier posts: guard-forward Evan Turner, center Spencer Hawes, and big man Craig Brackins.
This is kind of a quiet week for NBA news, unless your team is still playing. The Sixers' brass of president Rod Thorn, general manager Ed Stefanski, assistants Tony DiLeo and Courtney Witte, and coach Doug Collins are more than likely assessing the potential draft picks they watched and interviewed in Chicago, while Stefanski went on to evaluate talent at a smaller combine in Minnesota. In the next weeks, they'll put together a draft board, ranking available players.
Since we've targeted this off season as crucial to bumping this team from 41 wins to 50 wins, we've been trying to address some of the non-draft issues this team will face in the coming months. Per a few email requests (please send any questions you might want addressed to kfagan@phillynews.com), today's topic is forward Thaddeus Young. The questions on Young were two-fold: will he return to the Sixers next year and does he have a chance to become this team's starting small forward?
Here's the background info on Young's situation. He's entering his fifth season in the NBA. Earlier in the 2010-11 season, the Sixers did not offer him a contract extension, so on July 1 he becomes a restricted free agent. The Sixers will qualify him, meaning they have the opportunity to match any offer made, with the pre-arranged $4.0 million qualifying offer as stipulated in the NBA's rookie contract system. On July 1, obviously under the assumption the lockout situation gets worked out, which is clearly a major assumption, other teams can sign Young to an offer sheet. The Sixers will have the opportunity to match any offer. For example, if on July 5 (randomly chosen date), the New Orleans Hornets (randomly chosen team) sign Young to an offer sheet of 5 years, $35 million (seriously randomly chosen numbers), the Sixers would have seven days to match the offer. If no other team signs Young to an offer sheet, he will play the 2011-12 season with the Sixers for the $4 million qualifying offer and then after that season he would become an unrestricted free agent. (Yes, the NBA is complicated.)
Here's the background on Young's numbers with the Sixers: 8.2 points, 4.2 rebounds his rookie season, 15.3 and 5.0 his sophomore season, 13.8 and 5.2 his third season, and 12.7 and 5.3 during this most recent season with Collins.
OK, so those are the numbers.
I would put the likelihood that Young returns to the Sixers at 92 percent. (Let's not get carried away with that number, it's an educated guess from having conversations about the situation -- and it's fun to put a number on the accumulated knowledge of these conversations.) There is no way for me to overstate the quality of the relationship between Collins and Young. Collins considers Young one of the most impressive guys (character, listening ability, responsiveness, game, personality) he's coached. And Young respects Collins and enjoys playing for him. I'd go so far as to say Young believes in what Collins can do with this franchise and, more specifically, what Collins can do for Young's game. Young wants to return to the Sixers. And the franchise, by all accounts, plans on matching any reasonable offer sheet. No one knows what's going to happen with the next CBA, and how that will change things, but if another team signs Young to a fair offer sheet, the Sixers will match. The only reason Young wouldn't return is if a team signs Young to an insanely above-market-value offer sheet. The Sixers, within a broad range of contract offers, plan to bring back Thaddeus Young.
As for the second question received (can Young become this team's starting small forward?), here's the lay of the land. If Andre Iguodala remains a Sixer over the summer, he will rightfully be this team's starting small forward. If Iguodala is traded over the summer, the Sixers will enter training camp with an open starting spot at small forward. As we've said in previous posts (check out the hot link to "Evan Turner"), it's possible that the team and Turner himself could be looking at him returning next fall as a potential small forward. If the position is open, Turner and Young would enter training camp as potential options for starting small forward. Collins and Young, as we mentioned multiple times toward the end of the season, have had conversations about Young's potential to become an all-star. Collins has told Young that if he develops a consistent 15-foot jumper and can consistently make a corner three-pointer, he can become an NBA All-Star. If Young can force defenders to respect his mid-range jumper, something defenders don't totally do right now, then Young could be a 20-points-per-game scorer. And if he doesn't become a starter, he'd be a front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year.
It seems the only question with Young's potential as a starter is his lack of a definitive position. We're talking about him right now as a small forward, but he's proven effective as a backup power forward. It might make more sense for Collins and the Sixers to use him as the backup small and backup power forward and drop him 32 minutes a game (he played 26.1 minutes a game this season). As with many questions facing the Sixers, all of this depends on what kind of game Turner shows up with this fall, what kind of jumper Young shows up with, and what kind of moves the team makes to free up opportunities for each or both.
But one thing is certain: the Sixers aim to bring back Young.
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--Kate
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:Copper34: Speights was brought in so he could be the Yin, offensively, to Dalembert's Yang, defensively, and Brand wasn't looking like he'd make it. Why Stefanski envisioned Dalembert a long-term option, is beyond me.
I'd love to keep Young, and wouldn't mind him being our starting 3, saying he develops handles, passing ability, better defense, consistent range out to 25 ft. Saying AI9's gone, and we don't draft a guard, either Young or Turner are going to have to hit @ least 36% on their threes, and attempting at least 2 a game. This is what screwed us aganist the zone d's, and Miami's cluster-f****. Floor spacing, on both ends, will be key.— BlackFeet01- 7-8 mil. That's a good #. I like him off of the bench. I would keep him there unless he develops a pg game. Faried and Thad together.. That sounds good. But I think a back up 5 would be best at 16. Bismack will not make it past dumars. I like donnatas. benson. Do not trade 9 to move up. Hawes and Lou need to be upgraded. If Lou stays his role has to be redefined. Less scoring. More creating for others. Using his speed to get into the lane and set up 3 pt shooters. 5 from Meeks alone. Too many times Meeks was left standing WIDE OPEN AT THE LINE!!!! That's not acceptable.. That's beyond dumb.. Championship teams hit shooter EVERYTIME THE DEFENSE LEAVES THEM. If the spurs didn't hit steve Kerr for those late 3's v Dallas in the wcf they would not have made it to the finals let alone win it. You gotta make the d pay for leaving Meeks. If Lou williams' that dumb with the ball I don't want him to have it. He can score but he's not like that on the perimeter. The bigger the game the smaller he gets. Iverson's not coming back. Close the book and trade his wannabe and trade his initials. Lou can be replaced. Iguodala has to be replaced in measurables and transition. Carney would Iguodala's athleticism measurables and transition game on the wing. Not saying sign carney but saying that body type is what we would miss the most. But donattas would replace the versatility. Kaman. smith. And donnattas. That's a a+ offseason.— combocancer1975
- Interesting tactic Collins dangling the carrot for what Thad needs to do to become an All-Star. Obviously he needs to work on his shot, at least enough to keep defenders honest. I thought he really found his niche this year as a slasher-type combo forward, defenders had no prayer matching his energy and athleticism. He took 22 3-pointers, compared to like 150 in each of the previous two seasons. I just hope he doesn't get too carried away launching long jumpers and gets away from what he does best. I liked this year's version of Thad Young best so far— stikolaboloni
- And to officially kill the Collins-Favors rumor, I post this:
http://phillysportsdaily.com/sixers/2011/03/14/doug-collins-liked-evan-turner-from-the-start/— BlackFeet01 - What is the likelihood that Turner can develop the sort of shot he needs to be a legitimate starting shooting guard? I think Young has shown that he's good enough to be a starting 3, and if Turner can play 2 and we could trade Iguodala for a starting center, the team could look pretty good.— padillaflotilla
- combocancer, I'm not sure how much they're going to be able to redefine Lou's role. Been there, done that...it didn't work. Remember Eddie Jordan tried to make Lou a starting pg and it failed miserably. He is what he is, a scorer off the bench.— mtairy1
- Thad is an excellent sixth man and that's his best role on a good team. Improving the corner three is a good idea, but his 70.7% FT shooting is a bigger concern. He has hands of stone sometimes and doesn't register enough blocked shots considering his athleticism, but the Sixers need to keep him and overpay if necessary. I don't think the Sixers are going to have any significant cap space in the near future and the team is loaded with young developing talent, so go over the cap and hope your young players, including Thad, can gain league wide recognition.— incog69
- blackfeet01: Ideally, with the big men gone by #16, I like Markief Morris there and the Sixers trying to move up from the second round into the first round to take your guy, Klay Thompson, as a pure outside shooter, a potential starter at two guard, which would also allow Turner to play point-forward at the three if Iguodala is traded, with Morris backing up Brand at PF. The key then is whether Young would want to stay as a backup at the three or could the Sixers sign and trade him with Iguodala for a tough big man, like Bynum. There are endless possibilities.— chuckw
Comment removed.- The bad part of Thaddeus Young types in the NBA is that teams usually sign these guys to huge deals and then regret it later. But hopefully the Sixers resign him. I think of Young more as a four than a three although he can play both. As he gets older I think he'll mature into his body a bit more and be able to handle a fair number of the 4's in the league. So I would start Turner and keep Young coming off the bench if Iggy was traded. Eventually, Young can take over the starters role from Brand.— DeanoP44
- Mtairy if Lou "is what he is" that's not enough for me. In fact he's nothing on a championship team. The things he can do well will not win a ring. He's not good enough at it. Can he score 30 v OKC? Or the lakers like Jason Terry? No. In fact he may have 5 points and 5 turnovers. 0 rebounds 3 assists. In the game we need his points the most. J.r. Smith performs. Back to Thad.. He's my guy. Want him back. But I'm not going into a bidding war. I would be prepared to resign him BUT! I have already contacted tayshawn's agent AND I KNOW HIS CAP NUMBER! If Thad exceeds 9 mil and tayshawn wants 8 mil. Tayshawn it is. That's my line of thinking. BUT! I do want Thad back. Noc and Lou for j.r. Smith. 9 and hawes for kaman and aminu. thad for tayshawn. IF HE EXCEEDS WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO PAY! MATCH IT! TRADE HIM! There are ways around EVERYTHING!
Jrue. Meeks. Tayshawn. Brand. Kaman
Turner. Smith. Aminu. #16. Sp8ts.
#50 and battie or Stephen hunter.
— combocancer1975 - @chuckw: how is that going to work? getting both Morris and Thompson? Thompson will be long gone by our 2nd round turn if we acquire Morris.— BlackFeet01
- CommboCancer, i agree..that dude Donnatas is going to be something special in this league and is the perfect fit to take over for brand.I think people here would give him the Donovan Mcnabb welcome by booing if the sixers got him because they don't have the vision to see what he can accomplish. i would take a PF as a project because i believe elton has at least another good yr or two left in him and then it'll be his expiring contract year. However i would try and get a bonafide center through trade. You're correct..do not use iggy to move up in the draft. Use him as bait for a vetern big who can defend/block/rebound. All this talk about trading him for beer and peanuts is hog-wash. 6 packs and peanuts don't have good defense, just extra carbs.
Thad is a huge piece to our core. i can't see them going over $8M for him especially if iggy stays. if thad had a consistent shot,played better D and threw it down with thunder like iggy does at the rim, than I wouldn't mind giving him at least $8.5M or higher/ it's a recession, he needs to kill that noise about wanting $11M, we have Stefanski not Ruben Amaro Jr.
Quixote, you're killin it with the Moses analogy.
Blkfeet, of course collins would say that with the season halfway over. He wanted favors and i'm glad he didn't get him because derrick didn't do the nets any Favors,lol. in another reality Favors gets selected here and Evan goes somewhere else (where iggy isn't), has a monster year and then philly fans would have complained we should have selected evan. There is no satisfying this city. Be patient we're not winning for a couple years, let the kid develop.— Mack of the Pack - Regardless of where else Evan might have gone, he would not have had a "monster season" anywhere in the NBA because he's not a "monster" player.
At OSU, they gave him the ball and said "GO!", and at the college level he could do that to the extent of being Player of the Year.
But, only Lebron types can dominate like that in the NBA. And, alas, Evan ain't no Lebron . . .— wordsword - ok maybe he wouldn't have had a lebron year, but i think he could have had a year on par with wall.(which didn't exactly set the NBA on fire)., if he went somewhere else that allowed him to play to his strength/ability than i think he could have at least went to the rookie/soph game.
If OSU gave him the rock and said go, then you do what works(for a high draft pick). It made no sense selecting him@ #2, then trying to force him to be something he is not. i didn't see SAc force cousins to be a SF or wall to be a SF.. they played their position & they did modestly well.
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
