Thaddeus Young transitions into starting role

Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young has primarily come off the bench the last two seasons, but as Marc Narducci of Philly.com noted, Young will likely open this season in the starting lineup.

Young has started just two games over the last two seasons, but is currently slated to start at power forward when the regular season begins on Wednesday. Young has played well in a reserve role, providing energy off the bench, but as Narducci said, the Sixers now have other players, including Nick Young and Dorell Wright, who can fill that role.

Instead, Young will now try to carry his energy over to the starting lineup where he will be a matchup nightmare for slower power forwards. Rebounding may be a concern with a smaller starting lineup, but head coach Doug Collins said he likes the way Young and Lavoy Allen play together.

Regardless of whether he remains a starter or shifts back into a reserve role, Narducci said having Young on the court and the end is what really matters.

One thing is for sure, Young is considered one of the critical members of the team and regardless of his status as a starter, he should be in at the end of many games.