Nets forward Thaddeus Young to opt out of contract

Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent.

Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, general manager Billy King said on Monday.

Young, who turned 27 on Sunday, had a $10.2 million player option for next season. The Nets reportedly would like to bring him back and hold his Bird Rights, enabling them to pay him more than any other team.

The Nets acquired Young at the mid-February trade deadline in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett back to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Young appeared in 28 games with the Nets, starting 20, and averaged 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds. He shot 49.5% from the field and 38.0% from three-point range, both up from his 48 games with the Timberwolves.

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The eight-year veteran played the first seven seasons of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him with the 12th pick in the 2007 NBA draft.

The Nets finished 38–44 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn holds the 29th pick in Thursday’s draft, which will be held at the Nets’ Barclays Center.

- Mike Fiammetta