Despite the Houston Rockets retracting their self-imposed December 19th deadline to trade disgruntled center Omer Asik — a trade he was reportedly being dangled in — Thaddeus Young has sent in a formal request to Philadelphia 76ers GM Sam Hinkie to be traded.
SBNation’s Liberty Ballers has the story:
Liberty Ballers has learned that one of the rumored names the Sixers were dangling has asked for a trade. Thaddeus Young, having been with the Sixers his entire career, has asked Sam Hinkie for a trade.
Young and his agent, Jim Tanner, submitted a formal trade request to Hinkie and the Sixers weeks ago, according to a source close to Young.
Young has appeared to have gone about this quietly, and in a way, be applauded for doing so.
If Philadelphia wants to tank and start the rebuilding process, Young should have every right to request a trade, especially when he was being offered around the league already. If anything, maybe this will help expedite the process. But there should be nothing wrong with a player who is uninspired by his teams poorly self-constructed situation.
Good for him for wanting to get more out of his career.
“Thad is ready to leave Philly,” the source said. “He isn’t with the whole tanking thing.”
The Sixers are currently 7-19, good for last in the wretched Atlantic Division.
When Tanner informed Young that the Rockets had called about the tweener forward, Young grew excited about the opportunity to leave the Sixers, though he’s loved his time here. The chance to play for a contender with legitimate championship aspirations is too enticing.
“Thad is kind of anxious,” the source said Wednesday afternoon while Asik talks were still ongoing. “He just wants them to do the trade if they are. He hates waiting. [Playing for a contender] would be great because the Sixers definitely aren’t making the playoffs this year.”
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