Feb 6, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Thaddeus Young (33) brings the ball across center court in the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center. The Wolves won 90-89 over the Grizzlies. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Traded protected first-round pick from Miami Heat to Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Thaddeus Young
I’ll be the first to say that I didn’t hate this move when it happened. It was a head-scratcher for many, as a rebuilding team like the Wolves needs as many picks as possible, and this pick was just top-ten protected and likely to be conveyed in short order since LeBron James had already left Miami.
But the Wolves had a dearth at the power forward spot. Thad Young is a great fit alongside Ricky Rubio, and has a great reputation as a solid locker room presence. He also had an early termination option for 2015-16, meaning that there was a decent chance that he’d stick around for two seasons and earn above market value before hitting free agency in the summer of 2016.
If that had all played out as planned, it’s a decent move. Flip Saunders painted it as “retooling” instead of rebuilding, and acquiring Young was therefore about giving the team a shot at the Western Conference playoffs more than anything. If he truly believed this he was delusional, but he felt the need to spin it to the fans in that fashion.
The value on this pick has been all over the place, with the Heat at times looking very good in a weak Eastern Conference, but with Miami enduring a rash of injuries and now losing Chris Bosh for the season, their record sits at just 23-30 and if the season ended today, the pick would be #15.
Grade: C+
Next: Grading the Thad Young Trade - Part Two