MINNEAPOLIS -- Thaddeus Young Jr. hasn't forgotten the big, bearded man with body armor tattoos and a kindly countenance that used to pick the toddler up and parade him around the Timberwolves locker room. Sometimes, they'd interrupt dad's postgame media interviews. Other times, Thad Jr. -- "T.J.," as his family calls him -- would be waiting outside with mom and his younger brother, eager to give power forward Thaddeus Young a hug and head home to their Twin Cities condo.
"T.J. was just asking about him," Thaddeus Sr. said, referring to gargantuan-but-jolly center Nikola Pekovic.
He and his family were here for a total of seven months, but they laid down some roots after Minnesota landed Young in the Kevin Love trade. "I almost started to make it a home," Young said.
Almost.
After injuries, attrition and inexperience shoved the Wolves' record deep into the Western Conference cellar, Young approached coach and president Flip Saunders and general manager Milt Newton about the future. He notified them he'd be opting out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent after the season.
Whatever vision Young had of making this work in Minnesota had dissipated.
"At that point in time, with the direction we were going in, that was probably likeliest to happen," said Young, now a Net, after Brooklyn's morning shootaround Monday in Minneapolis. "We went from going from being a team that could have possibly, potentially made the playoffs with everyone being healthy to ... we were trading guys and just getting younger. The direction just changed throughout the course of the season."
Landing awkwardly on his ankle five games into the year, Ricky Rubio was the first domino to fall. Then Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin suffered long-term ailments, leaving Young and rookie Andrew Wiggins as the lone remaining starters from November till January. Soon after, the team traded veteran Corey Brewer. Later, Mo Williams. Nine days before the trade deadline, rookie power forward Adreian Payne came via a trade with Atlanta, painting a futuristic picture at Young's spot with Payne and second-year, former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett in the rotation.
After a week-and-a-half of shopping him, Saunders dealt Young moments before deadline Feb. 19 for all-time franchise face Kevin Garnett. The Youngs cleared out the condo in one day. The next, Thad was in Los Angeles, joining the Nets for their game against the Lakers.
"Thank God I had my wife here," Young said. "Basically, I packed two bags and got on the road."
It happened fast, but it wasn't a shock. Young said he appreciated Saunders and Newton's willingness to communicate with him throughout the team's discussions, maintaining frequent contact with him and his agent, Jim Tanner.
Transparency reigned. Young let Minnesota know his intentions and was rewarded with a ticket out of town. And Minnesota got its main man back.
"We could have easily kept Thad, and he was a good presence in our locker room," Newton said, "but at the same time, from a business standpoint, you don't necessarily want assets to leave without getting something in return."
The move reunites Young with former 76ers general manager and current Nets GM Billy King, who drafted him 12th overall in 2007. Seven rollercoaster seasons in Philadelphia gave way to an equally rocky one in Minnesota, during which Young averaged 14.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
He struggled early on this season, especially after the Nov. 13 death of his mother.
"It was just a short time spent here," Young said. "That's about it. But I built some relationships, loved the fans, loved the support I was given here."
He's still adjusting in Brooklyn, which heading into tonight's 7 p.m. game against the Wolves is three games back of the East's final playoff spot. Young's averaging 13.7 points on 52.7 shooting with the Nets and has started the past four games.
"He's played well since he's been here, but he's still not acclimated to everything we do," coach Lionel Hollins said. "But basketball is basketball, and he has good instincts."
Said teammate Miles Plumlee: "Easy to play with, good defender, and a good veteran that can play the four very well for us. He's helped us in a big way."
After the season, Thad Sr. will have another decision to make. He's said he'd like to stay with Brooklyn after this season, and it'd probably be wise.
If he forgoes his opt-out for next season, he'd hit the open market in 2016 -- the same year the NBA's salary cap is expected to take a giant leap.
Young could, of course, opt out and sign a new, long-term deal with the Nets (or any other team, for that matter). That'd mean less money in the long run, but more stability.
"It's one of those things where they want me for the future, they want to keep me around. It's a mutual feeling," Young told reporters Saturday after scoring 21 points and pulling down nine rebounds, his best performance in Brooklyn black-and-white so far. "I'm not a free agent until I decide to pick up my option or not pick up my option.
"So it could be exciting or it could just be one of those slow summers. I'm not really looking at that right now. I'm just trying to continue to play this season, try to make the playoffs with this team and win games.
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