Indiana Pacers: 2017-18 player grades for Thaddeus Young

Weaknesses

The biggest weakness for Young this season was his scoring output. After his scoring average took a nosedive last season (down to 11 points per game from 15.1 per game the season before), it was clear that he wasn’t going to enter his prime and become a scorer. He never was one.

Given the fact that this follow-up season also saw a scoring average of 11.8, it’s clear that he won’t become a mid-range or 3-point threat like some other starting combo forwards are in the NBA.

While this seems like not such a big problem, seeing as he produces nearly everywhere else, his skill-set will rely more heavily on his athleticism, which should be declining sooner than later. The worry with this weakness is that if he suffers an injury or an athletic decline, without a polished scoring knack he would be kind of worthless, especially if he gets locked into a long-term deal.

Meanwhile, it may be true that Young was never was a great free throw shooter (67.5 percent for his career), but this season he was down to 59.8 percent from the charity stripe. This was problematic because as a veteran, part of what he is bringing is his ability to perform in the clutch. If his free throws continue to suffer, he may become a late-game liability.