Thaddeus Young Case Study

Pay that Man: Why Thaddeus Young has been Worth the Big Pay Day

The Nets didn’t make a splash this off-season, but one thing they did do was re-sign Thaddeus Young to a max contract. And some that thought the price paid for Young’s services were too steep, and that he wouldn’t live up to his deal. Most saw Young as just an undersized power forward that couldn’t shoot the three.

There were questions about his long term potential. Critics were quick to point out that Young had only one or two go-to moves in the post, and that he was only good on one block. Young worked on his game in the off-season and it’s paid off in the early going of the season.

So far this season, Young has been the Nets’ best and most consistent player. He’s averaging 16 points, and nine rebounds a game (a career high) this season. His field goal percentage (53%) is also his best since the 2010-2011 season.

He’s been a reliable player for the team this year, scoring big buckets for the Nets when they needed one

The biggest thing would be if he can become a three-point threat. Young’s a decent mid range shooter, but if he can extend his range out past the three point line, his value will go way up.

He also has to become a better free throw shooter. He’s only shooting 58% from the charity stripe this season. He’ll have to improve that number if he really wants to help the Nets win. He shoots it just under 70% for his career, so if he can get back to that number, the team would really benefit from it.

All in all, Young has been worth the pay check so far this season. He’s proving his value on offense, and is hustling on defense and as well as on the boards. If the Nets can improve their wing play, the team will manage some more wins. The Nets have looked better of late, Young’s play has been a big reason for that. Look for that to continue as we get further into the still “Young”