Chicago Bulls: Grading every free agent signing thus far
24. . Power Forward. Former Team: Indiana Pacers. Thaddeus Young. 2. player
Whenever the Chicago Bulls can pry a key player away from a Central Division rival, it is a great move worth pulling off. Especially when the Bulls can nab a good veteran voice to add to the locker room like former Indiana Pacers power forward Thaddeus Young, the move is not worth much scrutinizing.
Much like the additions of Kornet and Satoransky bring for Boylen and the Bulls, Young is a capable three-point shooter that can excel on both ends of the floor. Young was a 34.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc that also averaged 6.5 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals.
If there’s anything that Boylen could use more of, it is floor spacers that can also play well on defense. Young registered a career-high in defensive win shares (3.9) and defensive box plus/minus last season (2.1). That all amounted to Young also posting a career-high in value over replacement player rating at 3.1.
Young is pretty much always a positive player when he is on the floor in his lengthy NBA career. But last season was very special for Young. Hopefully the Bulls signing him to a three-year contract worth $41 million gets a similar level of production to what he gave the Pacers in the midst of his career season.