Thad Young is heading to Phoenix. The former Toronto Raptors forward has reportedly signed with the Phoenix Suns ahead of the playoff chase, ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski reported Tuesday. Toronto dealt Young alongside Dennis Schröder to the Brooklyn Nets last Thursday ahead of the trade deadline in a deal to create some more financial flexibility for next season. The Raptors initially acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, but waived the Nets point guard before he could join Toronto.
Young brings some more veteran leadership and size to Phoenix’s frontcourt as a bench role player for the Suns. In Toronto, Young proved a competent backup center for the organization when Jakob Poeltl suffered an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month. Young played in 23 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 62.1% from the floor. The Raptors initially acquired Young in 2021 in a trade deadline deal with the San Antonio Spurs in which Toronto sent a first-round pick and Goran Dragic to San Antonio for Young and an early second-round pick.
Young had been brought in to provide leadership as a bench big for Toronto. He appeared in all six of Toronto’s playoff games that season, famously fooling Joel Embiid with a crossover in the first round of the playoffs. This season, though, Young began the year out of the rotation and was only called on as the team’s emergency center. He struggled defensively and it was evident he wasn’t going to be back with the team moving forward.
