Warriors Offseason Grades: Moving on from Nick Young
By Andrew Ites
The Warriors will be moving on from Nick Young after a disappointing year in Golden State. Who will take his minutes next season?
The Warriors gave Nick Young their mid-level exception last year, which was a one-year deal worth around $5.2 million.
That was a questionable deal at the time, but Young was coming off of one of the best seasons of his career under former Golden State assistant coach Luke Walton in Los Angeles.
For perspective, the Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins to almost the same exact deal this offseason.
One of the reasons Golden State’s front office decided to give Swaggy P a $5 million contract was his improved defense with the Lakers.
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Young’s defense did not carry over to the 2017-18 season as he ranked 97th out of 108 shooting guards in defensive real plus-minus.
Swaggy P showed some flashes as an on-ball defender, but he would often fall asleep on the weak side which led to open shots.
Young was forced into some significant playing time in the Western Conference Finals with Andre Iguodala and Patrick McCaw dealing with injuries. He had a couple of good moments, but the fact that he was playing at all showed the Warriors’ lack of depth on the wing.
Jacob Evans, Golden State’s first round pick, will probably pick up a lot of Swaggy P’s minutes next season. Danuel House could also get some playing time on the wing if he makes the regular season roster.
A-. . Guard/Forward. Golden State Warriors. NICK YOUNG
Patrick McCaw would be a good candidate for an increase in minutes, but he’s currently not under contract for next season as he’s still a restricted free agent.
If one or two of the Warriors’ young wings step up next season, they should be an upgrade over what Nick Young gave Golden State last season.
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Check out our grades of the Warriors’ other offseason moves: