Talen Horton-Tucker – Page 2 – Syndication Server

How much value does Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker have around NBA?

Lakers fans are disappointed in guard Talen Horton-Tucker and think he has little trade value. Is that true?

The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of an infusion of talent, youth and energy, and they don’t have a lot of assets to use.

Russell Westbrook looks to be their best bet on the open market to find one or two players who can address their weaknesses. Although it has been rumored that there will be at least a little interest in him, pulling off a trade involving him will be difficult because of his age, contract and flaws.

Other than Westbrook, the Lakers seem to have scant options.

But they actually may have enough.

Another potential trade chip is third-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker. He was given a contract extension last summer, and big things were expected of him this season.

But for whatever reason, he didn’t improve. Some feel it was because Westbrook and LeBron James forced him to play almost exclusively off the ball when he is mostly a player who needs the ball to be effective.

Luckily, at least a couple of people around the NBA still believe in Horton-Tucker and agree he has value.

Via Heavy.com:

“‘I think, with Talen, obviously he did not get to where everyone wanted him to be that quickly,’ one Western Conference coach told Heavy.com. ‘But he is 21 years old. He is playing for the Lakers and development is not the biggest thing there. Every season he has been in the league, there has been COVID and the bubble and something that has gotten in the way of him making steps. But I think most of us would take him on our team in a minute. He is big (6-foot-4) and long, he can handle the ball, he can initiate the offense, he will be a good defender even if he is not there yet. He has value.’

“An Eastern Conference executive agreed. ‘He was young when he came into the league, he’s still young now,’ the exec said. ‘He is still raw in a lot of ways, inconsistent. But he steps up a lot when he gets the chance.'”

Some have rumored that the Lakers will attempt to package Horton-Tucker with guard Kendrick Nunn in order to bring back a player who will help them right away.

Nunn didn’t play at all this regular season because of a bone bruise in his knee, but he was a good player the prior two seasons with the Miami Heat. Assuming he makes a full recovery and is the same player he was then, he could have real value as well.

Don’t sleep on Talen Horton-Tucker just yet

Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker can still play a key role on the team, even if he was disappointing this season.

It’s fair to say Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker didn’t meet expectations this season, especially months after signing a new contract extension worth about $30 million over three years.

But calling him a disappointment or even a bust is way too premature.

All the circumstances of this season — key injuries that led to roster and lineup instability, plus the presence of Russell Westbrook — led to Horton-Tucker being relegated to situations he doesn’t excel in.

At this point of his career, he is a player who is much more effective with the ball in his hands than without.

But Horton-Tucker can still be a key part of a potential Lakers revival next season.

Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker talks about playing on and off ball

Talen Horton-Tucker seems to have a healthy view of the challenging season he had with the Lakers.

After securing a new three-year contract extension last summer, people expected a lot from Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker this season.

It didn’t quite happen. His stats either remained flat or regressed compared to last year.

One thing that made it tough on Horton-Tucker was the fact he usually had to play off the ball due to the presence of both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

But he seems to have a constructive view of what he went through this year.

Via Lakers Daily:

“I feel like every situation that I’ve been in is almost like a learning experience,” Horton-Tucker said. “Being on the ball, off the ball, it’s experience that you need. Obviously I felt better with the ball in my hands, and I felt I had success with that, but just learning to play with stars was the most important thing they wanted me to do.

“During those stretches I got to play a lot more. Bron (LeBron James) was out to start, and then to finish the season we had some other guys out. Just the opportunity to have the ball in my hands and play and be at my best. … It felt good to actually do that.”

With the Lakers apparently looking to trade Westbrook this offseason, Horton-Tucker may get more opportunities to make things happen with the ball in his hands next season.

He seemed to play somewhat better after the trade deadline passed, and with James missing several games toward the end of the schedule, he had a little more room to breathe.

In the 80th game of the season, which took place against the Golden State Warriors, the third-year guard produced 40 points on 15-of-28 shooting.

Of course, there is always the chance Horton-Tucker gets traded this summer, but if he doesn’t, he can play a key role in 2023 with his youth, energy and ability to get to the rim and finish.

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Lakers player season grades: Talen Horton-Tucker

Our final analysis of Talen Horton-Tucker’s performance this season.

After getting some spot duty and showing potential in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble as a rookie in 2020, Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker became a part of then-head coach Frank Vogel’s rotation last season.

After averaging 9.0 points and 2.8 assists in 20.1 minutes per game while shooting a solid 45.8% from the field, it appeared he had the potential to eventually become a very good player.

The Lakers signed him to a three-year contract worth about $30 million last offseason, and great things were expected of him this year.

Perhaps Horton-Tucker didn’t quite measure up, but he still has the potential to become the player fans envisioned a year or two ago.

Lakers: Talen Horton-Tucker may not have much value on open market

Rival teams may be reluctant to trade for Talen Horton-Tucker, limiting the Lakers’ options to improve their roster this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster this season has been a mess, but there may be a pathway back to championship contention this offseason by removing certain players, most notably Russell Westbrook, and filling out the team with more young, reliable role players.

Doing so would likely necessitate at least one trade, and in recent months, one player who has been talked about as trade bait for that purpose has been third-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker.

Despite getting just a little bit of spot duty as a rookie in 2020, he flashed his potential by displaying an uncanny ability to get to the rim and finish.

Last season, he became a member of L.A.’s rotation, and he started to develop, averaging 9.0 points and 2.8 assists in 20.1 minutes per game.

Unfortunately, Horton-Tucker has regressed this season. Despite an increase in playing time, he’s averaging just 9.3 points per game, and his shooting efficiency is significantly lower than it was last year.

According to an executive of a Western Conference team, trading for the guard doesn’t seem attractive, but it’s not because he has failed to improve this year.

Via Bleacher Report:

“He may be great in four or five years, but he’s not right now,” the Western Conference executive said. “If we trade for him and he blows up, he’ll just opt out and hit free agency in 2023. We’d have no control over his contract.”

The Lakers signed Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal last offseason when he was a free agent. The deal seemed to make sense at the time, as it seemed it would take him a little while to become whatever he has the potential of growing into.

If L.A. ends up trading Westbrook, it may have to attach a future first-round draft pick in 2027 or 2029 just to get rid of him. Such an option seems unappetizing, as those draft picks could turn out to be very high.

It would seem preferable to include Horton-Tucker instead, but if teams are unwilling to acquire him, the Lakers could face a difficult dilemma this summer.

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Lakers are extremely short-handed vs Raptors

The latest on the Lakers’ injury status against the Toronto Raptors.

As if things haven’t been bad enough for the Los Angeles Lakers lately, things will be even worse tonight against the Toronto Raptors.

Guard Talen Horton-Tucker, who has been dealing with a sprained ankle will be out, as will Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington, who both have non-COVID illnesses.

This will make the Lakers’ bench, which has already been an issue, extremely thin. The team’s bench has already had trouble of late producing points in an efficient manner.

LeBron James will play, but he is continuing to manage left knee soreness.

The Lakers are 2-9 since the All-Star break. With the New Orleans Pelicans, who are in 10th place in Western Conference, breathing down their necks, the Lakers badly need to start stringing together wins.

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Update on Lakers guard Talen Horton Tucker’s status vs Raptors

Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker has been banged up, and as a result, he left Wednesday’s game vs Minnesota.

The injury woes for the Los Angeles Lakers have seemingly no end.

Guard Talen Horton-Tucker admitted after last Friday’s win over the Washington Wizards that he was playing on an injury that usually calls for a few weeks of rest and recuperation.

Via Silver Screen and Roll:

“My ankle, I had a Grade 2 sprain, so I’m still dealing with it. It’s still painful. I’m just trying to play through it until the end of the season because we’ve got to get some wins,” Horton-Tucker said. “Any way I can help, I feel like I need to be out there. I’m trying to play through it, (even if) it still hurts.”

He had missed the team’s previous game against the Houston Rockets for that reason.

Horton-Tucker has suited up for all of the Lakers’ games since, but he was forced to sit out after the opening minutes of Wednesday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves after aggravating the injury.

As a result, he is listed as questionable for Friday’s tilt in Canada versus the Toronto Raptors.

Horton-Tucker, who has seemingly regressed this season after showing so much promise last year, has been playing better since the trade deadline. But he has still been inconsistent with his outside shooting and overall scoring.

This ailment comes at the worst possible time for L.A. The team has a brutal final 15 regular-season games, and Anthony Davis is still sidelined with a sprained foot. Without him, the Lakers have struggled mightily with their halfcourt offense, which was a weak point to start with.

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Report: Lakers, Raptors discussed Talen Horton-Tucker trade

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly discussed a deal with the Toronto Raptors involving Talen Horton-Tucker.

The 2022 NBA trade deadline is in its final hours, and the Los Angeles Lakers are attempting a move after a terrible loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Only time will tell what will go down, but one player the Lakers could move on from is Talen Horton-Tucker. The third-year combo guard/wing hasn’t developed as the Lakers hoped. He’s averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while his 3-point percentage is at 26.9%.

Reportedly, the Lakers have been shopping Horton-Tucker for a few weeks since his contract (around $10 million) is one of the few, feasible trade chips L.A. has.

It looks as if the Toronto Raptors have held talks with the Lakers for Horton-Tucker, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report:

Toronto appeared quite active in trade conversations Wednesday night. Various Goran Dragic scenarios. Bigs. Lakers and Raptors have discussed Talen Horton-Tucker, sources said, but any notion that deal is serious has been miscategorized by @TheSteinLine and my listeners.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 10, 2022

The Raptors and Horton-Tucker were linked last season when L.A. wanted to trade for Kyle Lowry, but that deal fell through. This season, though, the Lakers have been linked to Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. Let’s see what happens as the clock keeps ticking.

As Fischer wrote, nothing is serious right now. But it is the NBA, and anything can happen.

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Report: NBA teams see Talen Horton-Tucker as a marginal asset

Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker reportedly isn’t regarded highly as a trade asset around the NBA.

With the Los Angeles Lakers three games below .500 and not playing like a championship-caliber team, trade rumors will mount as the deadline approaches in a few weeks.

One player L.A. is shopping in potential trades is Talen Horton-Tucker, the 21-year-old wing who makes just north of $10 million a year. His contract is the best to match salaries to obtain another talented player, and his inconsistent play could be why the Lakers want to ship him now.

But it will not be easy.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the interest in Horton-Tucker isn’t ideal:

Now that the Lakers are looking to improve their roster ahead of the trade deadline, Horton-Tucker is viewed by other teams as a marginal asset.

The important word here is “asset.” It’s not necessarily about Horton-Tucker’s numbers or potential as a big ball-handling wing; it’s his contract and how a team will not have leverage if trading for him, as Pincus explains in greater detail:

He’s still a developing prospect, but he’s about $7.7 million more expensive this season than his contemporaries. But the bigger issue for the Lakers, above his salary, is the 21-year-old guard’s player option before the 2023-24 season.

This wouldn’t be a concern if the Lakers signed him to a three-year deal. For example, the Nets aren’t looking to move Claxton but have explored the possibility. Unlike Horton-Tucker, Claxton will be a restricted free agent this offseason, giving any acquiring team the leverage to re-sign him.

The same level of team control will not come in a Horton-Tucker trade. He can hit unrestricted free agency in 2023. Away from ball-dominant stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, if he blossoms, the leverage will be in the hands of Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, not the acquiring team.

And if a team doesn’t think Horton-Tucker has the goods to deliver, why would it trade for him? That’s why the market may push Pelinka into giving up a first-round pick in addition to Horton-Tucker to make a deal (provided the team can find one that will increase its chances of winning this season).

Trading Horton-Tucker puts the Lakers in a tough spot. Combining him with the 2027 first-round pick, the earliest L.A. can trade, sends two of the franchise’s best trade chips in one deal. It would limit the team even further.

The Lakers’ front office will have to make several important decisions that will have impacts now and down the road.

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Report: No team is biting on Lakers’ offer of Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and 2027 first-round pick

The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t getting any luck so far with this trade package.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in dire need of upgrades to the roster after starting way short of expectations halfway through the season.

Missing Anthony Davis for over 17 straight games isn’t going to help, but the Lakers still have not played with enough energy and effort as they should.

The Lakers don’t have many viable paths to acquiring strong talent because Russell Westbrook’s acquisition this summer cost $44 million this season, with a looming $47 million player option for next year.

Los Angeles’ best potential trade package — at least financially — comprises Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and the 2027 first-round pick.

However, no team wants that offer just yet, according to Kevin O’Conner of The Ringer:

Having said that, the Lakers, who are sitting at 23-24 and in eighth place in the West, need to shake up this roster. They’re calling teams offering a future first, Kendrick Nunn, and Talen Horton-Tucker, who has underwhelmed this season, and no one is biting yet. Stein says they offered that package to Detroit for Jerami Grant. The Lakers’ problem is THT just isn’t valued highly enough by teams and that 2027 pick is a long time from conveying.

The key word here is “yet.” The trade deadline is still a few weeks away, so teams can change their minds down the line if no other suitable offer is made.

The Lakers exited the offseason thinking everything will turn out smooth with the roster construction, but that’s been far from reality more than halfway through the year.

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