James Young ends summer league on high note; Working with Kevin Durant this offseason

Entering Saturday, James Young was having a summer league to forget.

The second-year wing out of Kentucky looked lost and far from NBA ready during his first four games of the Boston Celtics' summer league trip. He shot just 8-for-34 in his first in his first four games while grabbing a total of eight rebounds.

Against the Spurs Saturday night, Young scored 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting while grabbing nine boards and dishing out three assists. It was easily his best performance of the summer, and it allows Young to go into the offseason on a high note with a critical season coming up for him.

For now, Boston does not have to pick up Young's remaining years on his contract after 2016. Every year after this coming season is either a club option or qualifying option. That's why he needs a good showing this coming season, and that's likely part of why he's working out with Kevin Durant this offseason, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes:

The two share the same agent, and the former MVP invited Young to work out in Los Angeles. Durant is coming off foot surgery that limited him to 27 games last season.

"He’s going to be able to start being able to play soon," Young said. "I can’t wait. He’s a great guy, a great offensive player, one of the best players in the league, one of my favorite players growing up. He’s an older guy, he’s been in the league and he’s doing great, and why not learn from somebody who is doing great? It will definitely take my game up to another level, especially confidence-wise, too.

"Work out with KD, I feel like somebody won’t be able to guard me [as effectively]. It [won’t be] as easy."

Here's some highlights of Young's summer-league finale against the Spurs: