The Toronto Raptors were fairly active at last Thursday’s trade deadline.
They struck two deals before the buzzer as Masai Ujiri decided to clear off some future salary.
That deal involved sending Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young to the Brooklyn Nets for Spencer Dinwiddie. Both Dinwiddie and Young would be waived and entered the free agency market.
Dinwiddie would go on to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers and now Young has struck a deal with the Phoenix Suns, per Adrian Wojnarowski:
Free agent F Thaddeus Young is finalizing a deal to join the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. More veteran, frontline depth for the Suns’ stretch and playoff run. Young has spent the past two-plus seasons with the Toronto Raptors. pic.twitter.com/Ilyq2leTx2
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 13, 2024
For a Suns team that has a three-headed monster in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, this move makes sense. With limited assets, Phoenix needs to hit on their minimum signings.
Royce O’Neale was another key piece that came to the Suns at the deadline. Young provides more veteran presence to a team aspiring to win a championship, but also gives them some small-ball center minutes.
In 23 games, starting six with Toronto, Young averaged 5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists on 62.1% from the field and 16.7% from three-point range in 15.2 minutes.
While Young is not a spacer at the four or five position, but he gives Phoenix a big who can do a little bit of everything. He started at center for the Raptors and he can run center for the Suns in the non-Jusuf Nurkic minutes in the regular season or postseason.
It’ll be intriguing to see how he fits with a star-studded roster and also the type of role he has. But, he can certainly provide some useful spot minutes for a Suns team that lacks meaningful depth.
Thaddeus Young Raptors stats
Young’s time with Toronto is now over, but he provided a locker room presence for a Raptors team that was trying to win in the past.
He spent three seasons with the team and averaged 5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1 steal on 53.4% from the field and 28.9% from three in 15.7 minutes.
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