Tamera Young is the most Bill Laimbeer signing ever and it is going to benefit the Las Vegas Aces.
Before I get anyone offside, I want to say that Tamera Young is not Bill Laimbeer. I am showing my age when I say I can remember Bill Laimbeer playing for the Detroit Pistons. He was responsible for the Bad Boys game-style.
Laimbeer would do what it took to stop the opposition scoring. He was a moderately talented offensive player. He loved to stop people scoring.
This is where Tamera Young comes in. Young is one of the best defenders the WNBA has ever seen. She believes, and so do I, that she can defend anyone. This is a talent and skill which Laimbeer appears to value over almost all others.
Laimbeer has enough scoring on the Aces team. Kayla McBride, Kelsey Plum, Moriah Jefferson and even Isabelle Harrison are all incredibly competent scorers. Add Dearica Hamby off the bench and the offensive side of the ball is taken care of.
Young, although she is a capable scorer will now be able to concentrate on locking her player down, taking the best opposition scorer each game.
Of course, the signing of Young has raised a question which only the season can answer. Who is going to start for the Las Vegas Aces. Is Laimbeer going to go with a line-up of pure scorers with McBride, Plum and Jefferson.
The other option he has got is starting Young, McBride and either Jefferson or Plum. This is the line-up I can foresee. What is the point of signing one of the best defenders the league has ever seen if you are just going to leave her on the bench.
Young needs to be on the court to set the tone early, taking on the bigger name wings and stopping them. This is going to give the Aces the best chance of moving towards playoffs this season. Only time, and Bill Laimbeer, will tell.