P, Not Always so Swaggy

Nick Young, the Sixers’ exciting swingman, has the rare ability as a basketball player to make you want to hug him one second, and then choke him out on the very next play. Watching Young can be fun, fulfilling, and frustrating all at the same time for a Sixer fan.

Nick has unlimited range and can light it up in a second. He provides instant offense off of the bench, and his array of deep threes and off-balance shots often serve to fire up and energize the crowd. He can swing momentum in the Sixers’ favor with a single swish, and has the ability to run off nine straight points before the defense even knows what hit them.

The problem with the player dubbed as “Swaggy P” however, is that he also often lacks a conscience. This is not necessarily a surprise, as it is the case with many great shooters, but at times it presents a problem. Nick knows how good he can be when he is hitting his shots, but the problem is he often forces up many ill-advised shots in an effort to obtain that hot streak. Too much of Young’s shot selection doesn’t come in the flow of the offense, and this is when his unlimited range and confidence can become detrimental.

A more well-rounded player with Nick’s same scoring ability would be an almost unstoppable weapon. If instead of forcing up some of those shots that have you scratching your head and screaming at your television, Young instead swung the ball to another open shooter, or dropped it inside for a potentially easier shot on the kick back, he could be an extremely versatile offensive option.

Instead, as a guard, Nick has never averaged more than 1.2 assists per game, and thus has never been a viable starting option; he has started in only 106 of his 376 career games. Nick continues to fill that instant offense off the bench spot for each squad he lands with, and while his highs are very high and he is a threat to have on the court, his inconsistencies and inabilities are often extremely frustrating, and place quite a cap on his overall versatility and usability.  Too often he forgets about the 'swing' in swingman.

So while Nick has brought some excitement and scoring support to the Sixers, he is largely a one-trick pony that lacks true depth to his game.  He can score with the best of them, has a bright personality, and some of the best taste in sneakers in the League, but due to his inconsistency on the court, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him shipped somewhere else next season.