After filling in for a depleted Team USA, Thad Young was unfortunately cut by the team. Ironically, this could be a good omen for the Chicago Bulls.
Thaddeus Young was one of a select few who opted to step up to the plate to bat for Team USA in light of so many superstars withdrawing from the process to focus on the upcoming season. This comes as a blow for Young, who would have had his first opportunity to play with the national team. Don’t worry Chicago Bulls fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief now.
The FIBA World Cup begins on Aug. 31, and Young will not be participating.
Marc Stein of the New York Times was the first to report this news.
Thaddeus Young and Bam Adebayo have been informed tonight that they will not continue onto Los Angeles with @usabasketball, according to Jerry Colangelo
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 10, 2019
Marvin Bagley of the Sacramento Kings and Derrick White of the San Antonio Spurs will be replacing Young and Adebayo as promising members of the Select Team. They will be joining De’Aaron Fox as youngsters that impressed in training camp and earned the jump to the international team.
Young instead will be turning his head to focus on his upcoming season in Chicago. For that, Bulls fans should be thankful. Although it would have been interesting to see Young log minutes in the FIBA World Cup, it’s probably more important that he invests time in establishing relationships and a strong chemistry with his new teammates.
Appearing courtside next to Zach LaVine and Otto Porter Jr. to support the Bulls (including Coby White) at the Las Vegas Summer League was certainly a solid start. Becoming a mentor figure for Chicago’s young talent is clearly a top priority and a big reason why the Bulls signed Young, so it’s good to see him holding up his end of the bargain.
“I know I can push them (Bulls) over the hump.’’
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) August 10, 2019
- Thaddeus Young told the Chicago Sun-Times https://t.co/Wvarpt8bHo
Young will serve as a quality backup forward for the Bulls next season, offering some much needed strength to the bench and filling in for a depleted forward rotation. After averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game last year, Young could emerge as a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate on a team with less mouths to feed.
For that reason, preserving Young’s health and limiting fatigue is important. Even though he’s only 31-years-old, Young already has over 29,000 minutes of game time under his legs. Playing for a depleted and youthful Team USA probably wouldn’t have added much to his game that he doesn’t already know, only running the risk of injury for no real gain.
Especially coming off the heels of a season wrecked by injuries and disappointment, this news should help plenty of Chicago Bulls fans rest easy at night. The Bulls are in a great position to exceed expectations and shouldn’t let outside distractions get in the way of that.