The departure of Thaddeus Young for the Indiana Pacers means change for the makeup of the locker room. While the team will surely miss his hustle, aggressive defense and fine touch in the paint, Young brought something to the squad that goes beyond the box score: veteran leadership.
It’s been him throughout the Victor Oladipo era. In the Paul George era, it was David West. Every roster iteration has somebody who has seen everything in the NBA — somebody who can hold a steady hand and show the young players their way through the league.
Young will serve that role on the Chicago Bulls well, but he leaves the Pacers without a solidified veteran leader for the near future.