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2017-18 Pacers Player Reviews: Joe Young

By Tony East

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 10: Joe Young #3 of the Indiana Pacers is seen during the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on April 10, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 10: Joe Young #3 of the Indiana Pacers is seen during the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on April 10, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Joe Young Indiana Pacers
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 4: Joe Young #3 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball against the Washington Wizards on March 4, 2018, at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.  (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Good

Joe Young did, finally, show quite a bit of good this season. Most of these promising signs came on offense.

For example, it was always clear that Joe Young would be a guy who could create off the dribble early in his career, but the three ball wasn’t falling for him. In his first two seasons, Young shot a paltry 21.7 percent from the outside. But this past season, Young found his groove from past the arc, nailing 37.9 percent of his three-point attempts.

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This spike in shooting helped Joe Young be useful tremendously. In an era where efficiency has become an obsession (perhaps too much), Young raised his true shooting percentage from 42.9 percent across his first two seasons to a solid 52.1 percent this past year. That figure is still a hair below league average, but 42.9 percent would have put Young as the 483rd most efficient player in the league. Improving from that point to about average is a huge jump.

Young also showed that even with more minutes and opportunities that he can still take care of the ball. He had a turnover percentage of 11.6 percent, a solid number for a third-year point guard. Even though Young was never really the primary ball handler, his low turnover figure is encouraging and shows he made a fair number of positive plays with the ball in his hand.

Along with recording his first career start, Young also recorded his first career block. He got his hand on a Bobby Portis layup and got the ball back into the Pacers hands. Given that Young is 6’2 and just 180 lbs, getting a block at all is very impressive. He might never get another one in his career, but he can finally say he got one.

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