Deflections for Thaddeus Young are good for the Pacers
Young’s flagship stat is the most “Thad Young” statistic I could find: 3.3 deflections per game, tied for fourth in the league. His smarts and energy make him a hawking off-ball defender, thwarting opposing offensive gameplans.
Guarding the weak side, Young’s defensive reads are savant-level. Sniffing out the backdoor cut, Thad intercepts Jayson Tatum‘s pass, which was a touch late:
Again, Young reads the flare screen and steals the ball for the pick-six:
Watch Young read these backdoor cuts, stepping in the way to blow up these plays and force a turnover:
Young’s ability to create chaos in the passing lanes makes it much harder for opposing teams to run an offense. His rotations are excellent, helping orchestrate excellent defense on a nightly basis. Because of his elite defense, resigning Young should be a priority.
Given their cap situation, will Thaddeus Young be with the Indiana Pacers next season?