3 contenders who could lure Thad Young away from Raptors return

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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 23: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Toronto Raptors puts up a shot over Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

2. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia was the stage on which Young made his name in the early parts of his career. While Young is not going to be the same scorer that he was when he was an up-and-comer, the idea of raising the floor of this much-maligned bench could help Joel Embiid get his first Finals shot.

DeAndre Jordan is at the point in his career where he is a negative asset every time he steps on the floor. If Doc Rivers is willing to give Paul Reed more minutes at the center, the 76ers could deliver a gut punch to their division rival if they are able to take Young away from the Raptors.

The 76ers could be very interesting to Thad Young.

Even though the 76ers are a veteran team and Toronto brought in the aging Young to help with a young roster, he could have the same impact on the second unit. This postseason shows how reliant the 76ers are on Joel Embiid as currently constructed.

Young’s defense and playmaking from the post could appeal to Rivers, as it could help give the bench a completely different look when the ball-dominant Embiid has to take a rest. A 2022-23 season without Boucher and Young would be tough for Toronto, and Young wearing 76ers colors could be even tougher to watch.