Indiana Pacers: 2017-18 player grades for Thaddeus Young

After a long career of individual success on generally bad teams, Thaddeus Young might have finally found a home with the Indiana Pacers.

While anyone who watched the playoffs would call the Indiana Pacers’ 2017-18 campaign a successful one, the truth is that with today’s ever-changing NBA rosters, anything can happen.

Granted, the Pacers’ core and even bench will likely remain pretty similar to last season’s, the first domino to fall that will solidify that idea is Thaddeus Young possibly declining his player option for the final year of his contract. So let’s see what he’s been up to.

After a bit of a dip in production, Thaddeus Young really found his groove as an Indiana Pacer in a bounce-back season this year, helping provide the veteran leadership needed to take on LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in a competitive seven-game series.

Until now, Young hadn’t ever been a part of a truly winning product in his well-established career, having been part of the dark days of the Philadelphia 76ers, the bottom-feeding Brooklyn Nets, and a pit stop in Minnesota. This season proved that he can produce when it counts and in the clutch.

Although head coach Nate McMillan indicated that he would like to have Thaddeus Young back in a Pacers uniform next season, the business of basketball might complicate things.

For Young, who is turning 30 this month, the bottom line is that he could fetch more than his current $13.7 million owed in the final year of his contract. While Indiana may reach into its pockets to compete for his services, another team with more cap space looking for a coveted, versatile defender still in his prime may win the bidding war. Before any decisions are made this summer, let’s dive into what the Pacers got from Thaddeus Young this season.