James Young Lands a Great Mentor

There was a lot of speculation about James Young finally making a leap with the Boston Celtics, allowing him to become a regular rotation player. Young has been doing a great job physically, adding enough weight to his frame to become better suited to play in the NBA.

After an inconsistent performance in the summer league there still remains a lot of uncertainty around Young but it is still very clear that he is looking for every advantage possible to earn himself a spot in the regular season rotation.

The Boston Globe has just reported that James Young will be working out with Kevin Durant this offseason. The two share an agent and having Durant available to him will be one of the best advantages Young has this offseason.

Durant was plagued with injuries last season but he still remains the front runner for best player in the NBA not named LeBron James. If you throw in style of play and physical make up there probably is not a single player that would do more good for Young than Durant.

Jan 31, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) backs in against Memphis Grizzlies forward Jeff Green (32) during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Durant has a large size advantage on Young but it is the dependance on a shooting stroke that brings these players together. Durant is the best scorer in the NBA and he does it in every way possible. He finishes at the rim, shoots in the mid range game, extends beyond the arc and has unlimited range.

In Celtics’ fans wildest dreams Young’s ceiling is still not at the level of Durant but if the Celtics are looking for a pure scorer in Young there is nobody better to be teaching him than Durant. Durant is the best in the league when it comes to finding ways to score and Young is talented enough that he will certainly be able to use and improve from what Durant offers him.

Another added advantage that could help Young earn a roster spot is the fact that Durant is a small forward. The Celtics have too many guards on the team to fit the opening day roster and with how R.J Hunter played in the summer league there may not be space for Young.

The Celtics do, however, have absolutely no depth at the small forward position and Young may have the potential to switch over. 6’6 is still undersized for small forward but the Celtics would have no problem with that when they are playing small ball. There were also concerns about Young on the defensive end, especially if he is backing up Jae Crowder. Hopefully, the weight Young has added will go a long way in improving his strength and resistance on the defensive end.

Spending time with Durant will only do good things for Young, whether he is playing the SG or the SF. Durant will help Young hone the skills he has while giving him plenty of training that will allow him to add to his game.

Young will need an extra edge to become a regular player for the Celtics and even if it is just offseason training Durant may go a long ways in securing a spot on the Celtics for Young.

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