Thad Young providing Raptors with master class on keys to long, successful career

There was plenty of buzz around the Toronto Raptors at the trade deadline in February of 2021.

They had a promising young team, some holes that needed filling and — potentially — the combination of players, contracts and draft assets that can often make trades work. There were rumours, fake trades and activity right up to the final moments.

But in the end, the Raptors' only move of note was to acquire Thaddeus Young, a (then) 15-year veteran who had spent most of last season outside the rotation on a young San Antonio Spurs team, his career seemingly running its course.

But the Raptors believed Young had more to give and even mentioned they had acquired his "Bird Rights" — the ability to go over the cap to sign him — as one of the reasons they felt it worthwhile to trade their first-round pick (while acquiring the rights to a high second-round pick that was used to select rookie centre Christian Koloko) for Young.

The foresight is beginning to pay off. After signing Young to a two-year deal for $16.3 million in the off-season, the 35-year-old is proving his value as the Raptors try to keep their season on the rails despite a wave of injuries and illness that has hit four of their starters and their top three reserves, among others.

Young has started the past five games for head coach Nick Nurse with the lineup crunch at its most acute. He’s been outstanding, averaging 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting 64.4 from the floor in 30 minutes a game.

"He’s been great. He’s probably our most valuable play right now," point guard Fred VanVleet said earlier this week before he went down with another round of the non-COVID illness that cost him two games earlier this month and has seemingly spread through the team. "He’s been holding down the fort … been given us about 35 [minutes] a night now. So it's really impressive to be in his 16th season, the leadership, the experience, the tough play to rebound and just making plays every night. He’s been key for us."

But the true depth of Young’s influence may not be felt this season or even next. His full value will be measured in the lessons his example provides for young players — or even some farther along in their careers — about what is required to have a long career in a league where there are only 450 full roster spots available and 60 new players are drafted every summer.

Wednesday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets was the 1,100th game of Young’s career, leaving him fourth among active players behind only LeBron James, Chris Paul and Andre Iguodala.

Young celebrated the milestone in style — at least on the court. He was the Raptors' best player; his line of 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 27 minutes not doing justice to the craftsmanship that went into his performance, even in a losing cause.

As is his way, he did a little bit of everything, be it backing a smaller defender down in the post before using his footwork and trademark spin move to split a double team late in the third quarter or pulling the trigger on a blink-of-an-eye, full-court pass to Chris Boucher for a dunk:

But afterwards?

There was no celebrating unless you count spending time dunking himself in hot tubs, cold tubs and getting his post-game kinks worked out in the training room, a routine that takes roughly 40 minutes and makes him the last man still at the office, night after night.

"Usually my wife and kids are waiting on me and texting me, 'What’s taking so long?'" Young said Wednesday when he finally emerged from the Raptors locker room, roughly an hour after the final horn. "I’m usually the last guy in the locker room and stuff like that but they understand. They understand that in order for me to keep chugging along I have to take care of my body and make sure I’m doing the things I need to continue to play."

Young has never made an all-star team and only once has been on a team that advanced past the first round of the playoffs. He’s been a starter, but also played coming off the bench, and he’s never been easy to pigeonhole positionally, either, with him profiling either as a wing who doesn’t shoot well enough or a big who’s not big enough.

But it’s never mattered because the 6-foot-8 forward figured out early in his career — thanks to the examples set by the likes of former teammates Andre Miller, Reggie Evans, Theo Ratliff and others — that one way to stick around in the most competitive league in the world is for teams to never have a reason not to want you around.

So Young made himself into a smart, versatile defender and a quick-witted and unselfish passer while using his quickness and unconventional arsenal of left-handed shots in the paint and at the rim to score enough to keep opponents honest.

And he plays his butt off. Against the Nets when a loose ball was pinballing around between bodies, it was Young who hit the floor first to try and retrieve it.

When the Raptors were closer to full strength, it wasn’t clear where Young’s minutes were going to come from this season. He had three "DNP-CD's" (Did Not Play — Coach’s Decision) in the first seven games. At one point Nurse felt he had to reassure Young that his time would come. It was a nice gesture towards a respected vet, but not nearly necessary.

When his minutes began to climb  — peaking at 34 against Oklahoma City earlier this month, the most Young had played in a single game since 2019-20 — Young didn’t miss a beat, saying he trains to play starters minutes regardless of the role projected for him.

After 1,100 games and 16 seasons, it’s all second nature to him now.

“There’s no reminding myself of being a pro, it’s just who I am as a player, it’s who I am as a man," Young said. "Regardless of the situation that’s going on and whatnot, I only know one thing and that’s to work.

"Put my head down and continue to grind, continue to work, and continue to make sure I’m doing the things that the Toronto Raptors brought me here for: to help these young guys continue to chug along and continue to get better as a group but, also, when it’s time for me to step in, to step in and do the job to the best of my abilities and while I’m doing my job to be able to show them this is how we should be playing basketball. This is how the game is played, this is how you stick around for a long period of time and this is how you get people on your side to make them continuously want to give you jobs or want to have you around or want you to be that professional, that vet that’s gonna help the locker room.”

For the moment, the Raptors need every minute of efficient production Young can give them on the floor. He’s delivered in spectacular fashion — regardless of his age or experience, but especially so when those elements are factored in.

But let’s hope his young teammates are paying attention. Young is providing an immersive, living lesson on what it takes to carve out a long and successful career.

It’s exactly why the Raptors traded for him and why they re-signed him this past summer.

In a few years' time, we’ll be able to see who was paying attention and who was napping during Thad Young’s NBA master class.