Reports: Nets Trade Thaddeus Young to Pacers for 20th Pick

Thaddeus Young (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

New Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has been looking to acquire a first-round draft pick for weeks.  On the day of the 2016 NBA Draft, he was finally able to deliver.

According to multiple reports, the Nets have traded versatile forward Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for the No. 20 overall pick in the draft, along with a future protected second-round pick.

The Nets had reportedly been in talks with several teams in regards to Young, and decided that Indiana’s offer was best for them.  Brooklyn does not control its own first-round draft pick until 2019, so it was a good move to acquire one this year.  Ironically, the Nets traded Kevin Garnett for Young two seasons ago, and now they flipped Young to help make up for the huge loss of picks in the 2013 Nets-Celtics blockbuster trade.

With the 20th pick, the Nets can draft and develop another young player to go along with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough, Markel Brown and Sean Kilpatrick.  They also have the No.55 overall pick in Thursday’s draft.

One small caveat in this deal.  Due to cap reasons, this trade technically cannot go through until July.  For all intensive purposes, the Pacers will be making their pick for the Nets on Thursday.

This deal will also give the Nets even more cap space heading into free agency,  Young was under contract for another three seasons and roughly $36 million.  With his deal off the books, the Nets could enter July with nearly $50 million in cap space.  That will be tops in the league, along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers.

The 28-year-old Young averaged 15.1 points and nine rebounds per game for the Nets last season.  He was supposed to be a key building block for the organization moving forward, along with Brook Lopez.  Now, Lopez is the only solid NBA veteran who is currently under contract for Brooklyn.

This was a solid trade for the Nets.  It hurts them for the upcoming season, but will benefit them in the long run.  One thing for sure is that draft day just became a lot more interesting for the Nets and their fans.