Thaddeus Young rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves have to overpay to keep Young?

Now that the Philadelphia 76ers have dealt forward Thaddeus Young to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Kevin Love trade, speculation can begin about Young’s future. Young will make $9,410,869 this season and $9,971,739 next but has an Early Termination option after the 2014-2015 season.

More from Minnesota Timberwolves

Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders believes the Timberwolves will have to overpay Young or he will leave in free agency.

"Young is a free agent and will almost certainly leave at the end of the year unless they overpay him, and he’s blocking Bennett. Similarly, guys like Brewer, Martin, and Budinger are blocking Muhammad, LaVine, and Wiggins. Why not just play the young guys this year, take some lumps, and then try to reload next year with a draft pick? With some of the guys they have, it might not take so long to get back in contention. However, that is not Saunders’ plan apparently."

The Timberwolves are obviously high on Young but if Bennett shows he can be a legitimate starting power forward, the Timberwolves may not even want to keep Young.

Young averaged 17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game and shot 45.4% from the field, 30.8% from beyond the arc and 71.2% from the free throw line this season. Young, who was the 12th-overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft by the 76ers and had spent his entire career in Philadelphia before the trade, has put up 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 50.0% from the floor, 32.1% from three and 70.0% from the charity stripe.

Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league all summer long.

Home/Minnesota Timberwolves