Thaddeus Young has spent his entire career on mediocre teams. After being shipped to the Indiana Pacers by the Brooklyn Nets this offseason, Young finally gets a chance to play for a playoff contender.
The Brooklyn Nets shocked many when they traded Thaddeus Young this offseason to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Caris LeVert. In an interview with Basketball Insiders, Young discussed his thoughts on the trade and playing for Indiana.
"“My first reaction was, ‘Okay. That’s cool, that’s cool.’ Some teams you don’t want to go, but Indiana, I was fine with that.”Young is not a bad basketball player; he has just been part of bad teams. His numbers are far from depicting him as a bad player as well. Young’s career averages of 13.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game make him an asset to any team he lands on.More from Nothin' But NetsNets star Mikal Bridges labeled top ‘trade target’ for serious title contenderLAST CHANCE: Get $2,500 Bonus for Any NBA Draft Bet Before FanDuel Promo Expires SundayBet365 New Jersey Bonus: Bet $1, Win $200 GUARANTEED on ANY NBA Finals Bet Tonight!BetRivers NJ Promo: Bet $500 on the NBA/NHL Finals, Get a Bonus-Bet Refund if You Miss!DraftKings New Jersey Promo: Bet $5, Win $150 INSTANTLY on ANY NBA Playoff Game!Unfortunately, seven seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, half a season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and one-and-a-half in Brooklyn, have not gotten Young far. In Philadelphia, Young was able to play in the postseason four times, only to see the Sixers make it to the second round once. In 2015, Young played a huge role in helping the Nets make a push for the playoffs that year. Brooklyn gave the Atlanta Hawks a tough fight, but fell short in six games.In Brooklyn, Young established his presence as the Nets’ second leading scorer, just behind Brook Lopez. Last season, he even topped Lopez in boards, with nine per game. As a result of the Nets’ lack of draft picks for the next two years, Young was part of the few trade assets Brooklyn possessed.Brooklyn told Young prior to the trade that they were looking to make changes, but did not plan on including him in these changes. That turned out to not be the case.“Initially when the summer had started, I was told by Brooklyn that they were looking toward the future and that it was going to take some time, and I was going to be around for it. Then, all of a sudden you’re hearing that you’re being shopped.”Despite the rather sad end to his time in Brooklyn, Young is already feeling at home in Indiana.“This definitely is a place I can call home. It feels a lot like Memphis, which is where I’m from… It’s a very laid-back city, but a huge basketball town. I definitely like it here, and I’m very much acclimated. It didn’t take long at all, especially when you’ve been traded three times in the past two years. I’m enjoying it.”Indiana’s huge success in the playoffs should make Young excited as well. The Pacers, with superstar Paul George, have been a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference for the past six seasons. Indiana only missed the playoffs once in the last six years (due to George being sidelined for a majority of the 2014-15 season). It’ll be a nice change of pace for Young to finally play for a good team.Next: Justin Hamilton's Career Represents PerseveranceThe Nets will certainly miss Young’s presence, as they have scrambled to find someone who can fill his shoes at the four. Brooklyn added veterans Luis Scola and Trevor Booker this summer, but it still remains to be seen how they’ll fare without Young.Published on 10/04/2016 at 2:46 PM EDTLast updated on 10/04/2016 at 2:46 PM EDT “My first reaction was, ‘Okay. That’s cool, that’s cool.’ Some teams you don’t want to go, but Indiana, I was fine with that.”“Initially when the summer had started, I was told by Brooklyn that they were looking toward the future and that it was going to take some time, and I was going to be around for it. Then, all of a sudden you’re hearing that you’re being shopped.”“This definitely is a place I can call home. It feels a lot like Memphis, which is where I’m from… It’s a very laid-back city, but a huge basketball town. I definitely like it here, and I’m very much acclimated. It didn’t take long at all, especially when you’ve been traded three times in the past two years. I’m enjoying it.”"