Getty Thaddeus Young defends DaQuan Jefferies in a February 20 game against the Sacramento Kings.
Veteran forward Thaddeus Young has been the subject of trade rumor after trade rumor in recent weeks. But if it were up to him, he’d choose to continue his tenure with the Chicago Bulls.
Young went as far as to repost a report from “Bleacher Nation” that says he’s considered “one of the most sought-after players in the league” onto his Instagram post with some additional commentary.
It’s clear that the 14-year veteran is enjoying his new role in Chicago under first-year head coach Billy Donovan. He’s having a career second season with the Bulls, averaging 11.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting a career-high 60 percent from the field.
Chicago’s currently 15-18, but just half a game back of the eighth-seed Charlotte Hornets.
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The Bulls Should Only Trade Thaddeus Young for Top Dollar
It’s not every day that a guy whose name is being consistently floated in trade rumors comes out and acknowledges them as professionally as Young did with his Instagram post. That should only raise the asking price if anything.
Young’s long been heralded as a pro’s pro both inside and outside the locker room. This response to the trade rumors only reinforces that, and also reinforces the idea that he’s a good veteran to have around this young team.
As the Bulls continue to navigate the up and down nature of rebuilding, why would they rush Young out the door? Unless a team comes calling with an appealing first-round draft selection, it’ll be hard to justify any deal.
That’s not impossible though. We saw it last year when the New York Knicks sent Marcus Morris Sr to the LA Clippers in exchange for the first-round pick that became Immanuel Quickley. And he was on an expiring deal!
Young is under contract through next season, which would almost imply that he’s worth just as much, if not more.
At the 2019 trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers got a first-round pick for Markelle Fultz, but that was more of an isolated event, an unorthodox circumstance surrounding his start in the league. He also had the pedigree background of being the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Young had just finished his ninth season at that point.
It’s not unlikely, but when you canvas contending teams around the league, a first-round pick will be hard to come by in any deal that sends Thaddeus Young out of the Windy City. And aside from promising young talent, that should be the only acceptable return for a guy as important to his team as he is to the Chicago Bulls.
At This Point, Young’s Future Isn’t Up to Him
As much as the Chicago Bulls likely appreciated Young’s gesture on social media, the fact of the matter is that it’s not really up to him whether he gets traded. At all.
Not only does Young not have a no-trade clause built into his contract, but he’s not a pending free agent, either. Typically if a guy is on an expiring deal, he has some wiggle room in dictating his next stop. Simply because good teams are rarely going to give up assets for a guy who’s vocal about no resigning in the offseason.
Of the two luxuries, Young has neither. Whichever team trades for him won’t have to question whether or not he’ll be with the team next season. But if the Bulls hang onto Young this go around and revisit discussions at next year’s deadline, it’s possible some interested teams would try and gauge the forward’s willingness to resign in 2022.
For now, Thaddeus Young and the Chicago Bulls will keep pushing toward the playoffs with just one game remaining until the NBA’s All-Star break. But if a team comes knocking with an offer too sweet to refuse at the deadline, will anyone blame the team for cashing in?
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