If the Utah Jazz part with Derrick Favors, Thaddeus Young would be an excellent replacement

Thaddeus Young is one of the few free agency options for the Utah Jazz that could prove to be a fitting and realistic replacement for Derrick Favors.

Free agency starts in just over 24 hours, and while the Utah Jazz already made their big splash this summer by trading for Mike Conley, there’s still a lot up in the air regarding what they will do next. Above everything, the biggest pending issue is what will the team choose to do with Derrick Favors, whose contract is non-guaranteed for the upcoming season.

If the Jazz keep Favors, they will have very little money left to operate with to add talent to their roster, and will essentially be set. If they let him walk, they’ll have an extra roughly $18 million to play with. That could be enough to add a riveting player or two to their mix.

Earlier today, I gave my two cents on the matter that unless by some miracle the Jazz could swing a way to let Favors go and add two high-impact players, they’d be best off keeping him. Especially since I don’t see that being a feasible option at all (adding two players is possible, sure, but two that move the needle as much as Favs feels like a long shot), I’m very much in the camp that the Jazz should aim to keep Derrick.

However, I clearly am not in the Jazz front office, and the organization may very well opt to look into going a different direction, potentially hoping to add a new player that will fit Utah’s style somewhat better than Favors. In fact, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones and as covered by my J-Notes colleague Ryan Aston yesterday, the Utah Jazz are among several teams expressing interest in former Indiana Pacer Thaddeus Young.

For those of you that have followed me for some time, you’ll know that after the Utah Jazz, the Indiana Pacers are my second favorite team, so they’re one that I’ve watched extensively. As such, let me just say that in the past few years, Thad Young has become a player that I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. And if the Jazz decided they were best off to move on from Derrick (even if that’s not what I want them to do), they’d have a hard time finding a better and more fitting replacement than Young.

Right off the bat, let me just say that Thad has been a crucial part of Indiana’s culture the past few years. He’s a relentless worker, a gutsy player on both ends of the floor, and an ideal veteran leader. He’d be incredible in the Jazz locker room and would ensure that the squad’s already strong chemistry didn’t skip a beat.

Beyond that, while he’s not as ‘stretchy’ of a stretch-four as some other options, he’d certainly be an upgrade over Favors in that regard and would command the respect of opposing teams covering him. He converted on nearly 35 percent of his threes a season ago, and his best year came in 2016-17 in Indy where he connected on 38.1 percent.

Thad would also add much more versatility to the Jazz on both ends of the floor. Especially for a big man, he’s a terrific passer who excels at setting up his teammates for easy looks. He’s not the rim protector that Favors is, which isn’t surprising considering that he’s just six-foot-eight, but he’s a more versatile defender in his ability to cover out to the perimeter and stop multiple positions.

Historically, Thad has been a great matchup defensively against tough-to-stop players such as former division rival Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he could play big minutes against tough bigs in the West for the Jazz. Rather than having to worry about awkward starting minutes between Utah’s starting frontcourt, Young would likely fit seamlessly alongside Rudy Gobert. Between his perimeter shooting, passing and driving abilities off the dribble, he’d be a dynamic addition that can do several things Favors can’t.

Thad is also a bit more refined offensively in that he has more post weapons and a better touch down low. However, Favors is more of a dominant rim-rocker that can muscle his way to points and crucial rebounds. If we were looking at these two players in a vacuum, I’d say they’re very close in terms of who the better player is, with both excelling at different aspects of the game. But overall I’d give the edge to Derrick Favors.

The question that comes then as it relates to the Jazz is – is Thad a better fit? There’s certainly an argument to be had that he would be as an enhanced three-point threat and a more prolific playmaker. However, is adding Thad’s distance shooting, passing ability, and defensive versatility worth sacrificing the permanent rim protection that Derrick provides, his size and his rebounding?

Those are some of the aspects the Jazz have to weigh and measure, assuming they do even have return interest from Thad in the first place. If the Jazz were somehow able to orchestrate a miracle where they could bring in Young to take Jae Crowder’s role on the mere $4.8 million room exception, I’d be beside myself with elation.

However, that’s far from realistic. I guarantee Young will get much better offers and the opportunity to be a starter from other teams, and I don’t see him taking a discount just to play with Utah. If the Jazz could get him for less than Favors and add another high-impact wing in the mix as well, that could also be a riveting option.

But with none of those options being likely, retaining Favors is definitely my top choice. Still, if the Jazz feel otherwise and like what Thad could bring to the squad, he’s the best possible replacement out there in my opinion. As hard as it would be to say farewell to Derrick Favors, adding Thaddeus Young would be a worthy and exciting replacement.