Raptors veteran Thaddeus Young has mixed feelings about facing his former club in the first-round of the playoffs, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Young was drafted by the Sixers back in 2007 and spent his first seven seasons with the team.
“Honestly, that’s where I grew up,” Young said. “That’s where I went from being a boy to a man. I started my family there, married my wife, (had my) two kids. I went from being a kid, getting drafted seven days after turning 19 years old, and then to leave there at 26 and go to another team, it was definitely a hard situation for me because I thought I would always be there.”
“Philly will always be another home for me. I still talk to people that sit courtside. I still talk to some of the people that work in the organization all the time. They’re family, but at the end of the day I’m with Toronto Raptors now and this is my new family. And I have to make sure that my new family is gonna get this win and get this series.”
As Lewenberg notes, Young is the only player in his thirties (he’s 33) on Toronto’s roster, and his experience and leadership has been invaluable to the young team.
“I think he’s been super vocal,” Pascal Siakam said of Young. “He’s been through a lot, he’s played in big games, and he’s been in the league for [a long time], so I think that’s another presence. Obviously, we (referring to himself and Fred VanVleet) like to think of ourselves as vets, but we have six years of experience in the NBA and he has 15. That’s so many games and I think that we can definitely learn from him.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- The Raptors need Siakam and VanVleet to lead the way in the postseason, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Siakam and VanVleet are polar opposites in terms of leadership styles, Smith notes. VanVleet is vocal and intense, holding teammates and himself accountable, while Siakam is a quiet, lead-by-example type. Both players will be critical to the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run.
- Sixers guard James Harden claims he isn’t feeling any pressure to perform in the playoffs, as ESPN’s Tim Bontemps relays. “Pressure, no. I feel good,” Harden said with a smile after Thursday’s practice at the team’s facility. “I’m ready to hoop. There’s nothing to it.” Harden also gave credit to the Raptors, his first-round opponent. “They just fly around,” Harden said. “They play extremely hard. They kind of junk up the game. They have a lot of guys that are tall, athletic, long and solid defenders. They use their length very well, and they just have each other’s back. They run around, they scramble, and they fly around defensively, so for us we have to execute, making sure we’re crisp in our passes and if the shot’s available, take it.”
- The stakes are extremely high for the Sixers after they made the major trade to acquire Harden, contends Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. If the 76ers have another early exit, they’ll have a tough decision to make with the 32-year-old former MVP, who’s expected to pick up his $47.4MM player option this summer and will be eligible for a massive four-year extension worth over $220MM.
Young is a smart vet and a steady presence. He probably has a future in coaching if he wants it.
Completely agree!! Give Young a year or two as an assistant in the NBA, and then watch him flourish if he’s given a decent opportunity with a good owner.
Let’s face it, some coaches are seemingly doomed to fail before they even coach a game for their respective teams. Either way, Thad Young would likely get another shot if people know he was initially put into a position that was impossible to succeed, but still nothing is ever a sure thing…
Nearly everyone thought Mark Jackson would get another opportunity after coaching Golden State, yet he hasn’t. Idk though, I almost HAVE TO think he’s been offered quite a few jobs at least, and he’s likely just turned then down…It is almost insane to think of some of the coaches we have seen get chances while Jackson announces games still…
I mean, look no further than Jim Boylen in Chicago, Stan Van Gundy as a retread being brought out of retirement, the countless assistants from the Spurs, which some have notably done very well for themselves, but still all kinds of jobs have been open and we have seen countless coaches get second and even third chances to succeed, yet there’s Mark Jackson still sitting courtside as an announcer…
Has anyone heard of him declining jobs previously?? I may be wrong, but honestly the only time I even think I’ve heard his name brought up is just when an analyst or former player talks about how he should be a candidate for this or that open job…
Thad and Lou Will were my favorite players of that era. Love both of them.
That said, I have a bad feeling about this series as a Sixers’ fan. Thybulle can’t play half the games, and other than Embiid, he’s the only guy who can play defense. The Sixers are like 1-3 against the Raptors this season.
I love J Harden, but damn we gave up a lot for him and we NEED him to show up.
Raptors in 5
So 4 straight?
Good description by Harden. Embiid’s influence perhapps. He could wind up a commentator.
“four-year extension worth over $220MM”
R.I.P. any team that pays that to a 33 year-old Harden. Geeez!
I was thinking the exact same thing, but they might have backed themselves into a corner where they really have no other choice but to bend to whatever contract Harden demands…
Idk, even if I’m his pal Morey, I wouldn’t go past two years. I’d say take.the two year extension deal on top of the player option, or have fun getting traded at next year’s deadline for assets. There’s NO WAY I’m locking in Harden for what.would technically amount to be another FIVE SEASONS!!! That would crucify their future, especially after his injuries continue to pile up, and he’s nothing more than an inefficient shooting, deathly slow glorified PG.
I also don’t like his no pressure comment…He needs to feel the pressure and to thrive off of it. If I’m Embiid, I’m telling Harden he better step up and get it together; otherwise he will come back next season beardless after he rips out each hair one handful after the next…lol