The Boston Celtics have one roster space open for anyone to fill. They can fill that position by trading or signing someone outright. Among the limited options at their disposal is Thaddeus Young, who could come either way. NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg discussed why the Celtics should consider the Toronto Raptors veteran.
“Young, who will be 36 in June, has the kind of experience that could enable him thrive as a depth player for a contender. “He has nine years of playoff experience with four different teams,” Forsberg wrote in a January 29 report. “Most importantly, he’s got a high basketball IQ and ability to eat up minutes at both big-man spots, which could be particularly enticing for a Celtics team that will need to pace fellow basketball octogenarian Al Horford, as well as Kristaps Porzingis, to the finish line of the season.”
Forsberg then described how the Celtics may acquire Young, with a buyout being the most likely option.
“Young’s $8 million salary makes a deal difficult for Boston, at least unless Toronto returns a collection of end-of-the-roster contracts. If Young has not already been picked up by a contender, a buyout might be a more appealing post-deadline option, according to Forsberg. “His addition would be a P.J. Brown-like addition for a championship-seeking team.”
Young is currently in the second year of a two-year, $16 million contract. The Raptors are 16-30 this season and have made significant roster adjustments, including trading OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. With a rebuild on the way, the Raptors have little use for a veteran like Young on their roster.
Kelly Olynyk Is ‘Known to Interest’ Celtics: Report
In addition to Thaddeus Young, the Celtics may have other alternatives on the buyout market. According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the Celtics are interested in Kelly Olynyk, who Stein previously mentioned as a buyout candidate.
“One hypothetical example: Utah’s Kelly Olynyk, who is known to interest Boston and other contenders, would be eligible to sign with any of those teams if he parted ways with the Jazz via buyout because he’s earning $12.2 million in Salt Lake City,” Stein said in a story published on January 29, 2017.
