:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25486989/20131216_kkt_sx9_573.0.jpg)
Quickly, now that SBN is back up and running and I've got my HIMYM holiday party to go to-- Thaddeus Young, at practice today, denied Jake Fischer's scoop that he asked the Sixers to trade him. Just as it wasn't a shock when Jake broke the news that he wanted a trade, it shouldn't be a shock that he has publicly gone on to reject the idea.
"I just think it is funny that it is 'sources' that say I asked to be traded," Young said. "I am here, ready to give 110 percent each and every game. I am ready to just play and try to win basketball games."
There was no yes or no in his answer, so Young was asked point blank: Did he ask to be traded?
"No," Young said. "My agent has talked to [general manager Sam Hinkie] about different situations and options. I know there have been talks about me being traded and me having a lot of frustrations, but that comes with losing basketball games. People have to realize that when you are in a losing situation like we are now, we are going to get frustrated and everyone is going to tense up a little bit. That is what has been happening."
So there's that. I trust Jake and his sources -- we wouldn't have ran with it if we weren't confident in them -- so this, to me, is nothing but PR maneuvering. Obviously the Sixers don't want to lose leverage they have if the league knows Thad wants out and obviously Thad, who is a great guy and a great teammate, doesn't want to come off as a malcontent and lower his value. This was the only thing they could have said. The end.
Oh and I'm proud of y'all for not grabbing the pitchforks and calling for his head. Thad's put his time in here and he deserves better than this. Just because he makes millions of dollars does not give us the right to tell him he should be happy in this situation. Tanking is much more fun for a fanbase than it is a roster, especially the veterans.
Whether or not Sam Hinkie will find proper value for him is another thing. Trade Deadline is still a ways away, so for now, this is all posturing until something concrete goes down.
