Thaddeus Young says requesting a trade is 'a possibility'
For a franchise that's been fairly open about its desire to lose as many games as possible, it's got to be hard to foster a sense of allegiance among your players.
Still, despite a 19-63 season that saw them tie an NBA record with 26 consecutive losses, the Philadelphia 76ers have been doing their utmost to instill optimism in both their fanbase and personnel. (Of course they've also been preaching patience. Lots and lots of patience).
It's been a miserable season in Philly, but there's hope that the Sixers brain trust, led by savvy GM Sam Hinkie, can turn things around. With likely two lottery picks (there's a 4 percent chance the Pelicans will keep their pick, which is top-3 protected) and five second-rounders in the upcoming draft, the impending return of 2013 lottery pick Nerlens Noel, and what should be a boatload of cap space, there's reason to believe that things are moving in the right direction.
But for a guy like Thaddeus Young, who at 25 is just hitting his prime, the prospect of waiting for a rebuilding plan to bear fruit is none too appetizing. Young is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro, posting career highs in points, assists, steals, and usage rate. He could well factor into Philadelphia's long-term future. But first, the team has to convince him that sticking around is worthwhile.
"I think it’s one of those things where everything has to be talked about and put on the table," Young said, "and everything has to be laid on the line."
The 'everything' being talked about here would presumably be how the Sixers front office plans to make certain that their best current player doesn't spend his prime years toiling away on a perennial loser.
Keenly aware of that very realistic scenario, Young has refused to say anything definite about his future. But, as Tom Moore of The Intelligence reports, he has said that requesting a trade from management is "a possibility."
Young is on the books for $9.1 million next season, and has a $9.7 million player option for 2015-16. That gives him a considerable amount of leverage over this situation. If he makes it clear that he plans to exercise his early termination option after next year, the 76ers will effectively be handcuffed into trading him, with the only alternative being letting him walk for nothing.