Thaddeus Young remains the glue that holds the Pacers together

Pacers Season Reviews: Thad Young remains the glue that holds the Pacers together

By Ben Pfeifer | May 3, 2019

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 4: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers smiles during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 4, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /

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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?

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