Tag: Talen Horton-Tucker

Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker returning to contact practice, not fully cleared yet

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel gave a promising update on young guard Talen Horton-Tucker.

The Los Angeles Lakers received good news regarding the status of Talen Horton-Tucker, who has not yet made his season debut.

Horton-Tucker has been out since the preseason when he injured his thumb, but he is nearing the date for his return after undergoing surgery.

During Monday’s pregame media session, head coach Frank Vogel gave promising updates about Horton-Tucker’s recovery (h/t: Dave McMenamin of ESPN).

Vogel said Horton-Tucker will resume contact practice Tuesday, but he will not return to the court just yet since he is not fully cleared. However, Vogel said the third-year guard will be involved in the rotation.

Horton-Tucker made strides in the preseason when he shot 36.4% from deep on 3.7 attempts; 3-point shooting was a flaw in his game his first two years, but he can take the next leap if he becomes more respectable in that regard.

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Lakers news: Talen Horton-Tucker to be reevaluated in four weeks after surgery

Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker will be out at least four weeks before doctors reevaluate his progress.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Tuesday Talen Horton-Tucker will be re-evaluated in four weeks after successful thumb surgery.

Horton-Tucker had to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, which is why he didn’t play against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the preseason.

The 20-year-old guard has impressed through the three games he played in, showcasing his offensive talents. He averaged 12.7 points while shooting 36.4% from deep on 3.7 attempts. All are promising numbers for what the Lakers hope he produces in the regular season.

Horton-Tucker is the latest member of the Lakers to deal with an injury. Trevor Ariza (ankle), Kendrick Nunn (ankle), Malik Monk (groin) and Wayne Ellington (hamstring) are all missing some time.

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Lakers news: Talen Horton-Tucker to have surgery on torn right thumb

The Los Angeles Lakers took another injury hit with Talen Horton-Tucker’s thumb.

The Los Angeles Lakers took another injury hit with Talen Horton-Tucker undergoing surgery on his thumb, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Horton-Tucker is said to have torn a ligament in his right thumb, but no timetable has been provided yet for his recovery.

It’s an unfortunate blow to the Lakers rotation as Horton-Tucker was a standout through three preseason games. He averaged 12.7 points and shot 36.4% from deep on 3.7 attempts, both impressive improvements from his first two seasons.

Horton-Tucker did not play against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 due to the injury.

Malik Monk (groin) and Trevor Ariza (ankle, will be reevaluated in eight weeks) are also out for Los Angeles.

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3 Lakers who have stood out halfway through the preseason

These three Los Angeles Lakers have made their mark through the midway point of the preseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially reached the halfway point of the preseason following the loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Los Angeles lost to the Brooklyn Nets in the preseason opener and to the Phoenix Suns in the second game.

LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis, the new big three, have been in and out of the lineup as Frank Vogel and the staff sort out rotations and balance rest before the regular season starts.

The rest allocated to those three stars has opened the doors for other players to get minutes and show how their skills could be optimized with the stars.

These three players have made good impressions so far:

Lakers rumors: Talen Horton-Tucker expected to compete for starting role

Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker is reportedly expected to have a shot to be a starter.

With the Los Angeles Lakers changing up almost the entire roster during the offseason, a new starting lineup has to be assembled.

Head coach Frank Vogel has plenty of options with the talent at hand, but figuring out spacing is a primary key.

Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the three locks to start, but since Gasol isn’t with the team anymore, the best way to optimize spacing with those three together is to bump Davis up to center.

That’s reportedly what is now expected of Davis as preseason nears, though things can change.

Who could the other two starters be?

According to Bill Oram, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, youngster Talen Horton-Tucker has a shot:

Third-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker, a rising, young talent for the Lakers, is also expected to compete in camp for a possible starting role.

Horton-Tucker hasn’t been a mainstay in a starting lineup before, but he could slot in at the 2, and perhaps, even at the 3. He has a 7-foot wingspan, but he’ll likely need to show strides on defense first before lining up there.

His shooting percentages also leave a lot to be desired, so if the Lakers have seen promise from his long-range shot this summer, it could be why those expectations are present.

Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore and Trevor Ariza are also solid options to start, but it’s a good sign for Horton-Tucker to have a shot.

The Lakers have high standards for him since Horton-Tucker received a three-year deal worth over $30 million.

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3 goals for Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker for the 2021-22 season

Where does Talen Horton-Tucker need to improve for the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers are anticipating another impressive season for Talen Horton-Tucker.

After re-signing him to a three-year deal in the summer, the Lakers have big plans for him since they paid him over $30 million for the duration of the deal.

Horton-Tucker has gradually gotten more minutes throughout his first two seasons, and this year could be more of the same.

The Lakers, however, do have a lot of competition in the backcourt with many guards vying for minutes and a consistent spot in the rotation.

Horton-Tucker could play the 1 or the 2 spots, maybe some at the 3, which means he’ll be competing with Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk, Wayne Ellington, Rajon Rondo and Kent Bazemore for minutes; however, Bazemore could be used often at the 3.

Here are three goals for Horton-Tucker to improve his standing on the team:

The Athletic gives Lakers’ offseason a B+ grade

The Los Angeles Lakers received a B-plus grade from The Athletic on their offseason moves.

The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the busiest offseasons of any team this summer in what was a major overhaul of the roster.

Los Angeles had over 10 free agents entering the market this summer, but the number of open roster spots increased when L.A. traded for Russell Westbrook.

The Lakers’ biggest moves financially were re-signing Talen Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth over $30 million and giving the full taxpayer MLE to Kendrick Nunn.

All of the other signings were minimum deals for one year. They went to Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo and DeAndre Jordan.

Zach Harper of The Athletic gave the Lakers a B-plus for all of the moves in the series of team grades Harper has been doing for each NBA team. Here is what Harper said on if the Lakers improved from last year’s squad:

“The Lakers definitely got better from a talent standpoint, even though they lost a lot with their wing core. Especially after last season, the addition of Westbrook into the group provides a lot of relief. Sure, it might not fit together perfectly, and the issue of spacing will be there, but having three superstars affords the Lakers something we saw with Brooklyn a year ago. With three superstars on the roster, you can lose one guy and be fine. You can lose two guys and keep your head above water. Last season, the Lakers lost one guy and managed to keep things good enough — until they lost the other star. With the way Westbrook played for Washington a year ago, add that guy into the Lakers mix, and we don’t see them dip all the way down to the Play-In Tournament. They likely survive things and create an easier path for the playoffs, and maybe Davis doesn’t get hurt trying to do too much at that point. Nothing happens in a vacuum. That third-star balance alone makes the Lakers better than they were last season. We just have to see how it fits and if that fit puts them in the driver’s seat for the NBA title.”

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Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker goes No. 8 overall in 2019 NBA re-draft

Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker is a lottery pick in Bleacher Report’s 2019 NBA re-draft.

The Los Angeles Lakers found a gem, Talen Horton-Tucker, in the 2019 NBA draft.

Los Angeles brought in Horton-Tucker in the second round with the 46th pick after acquiring the selection from the Orlando Magic for a 2020 second-round pick and cash.

Horton-Tucker’s physical tools made him stand out as a combo guard, and his success started to kick in during his sophomore season. He had a breakout preseason and made a name for himself after appearing in limited minutes during the playoffs in the Orlando bubble.

As injuries multiplied in 2020-21, Horton-Tucker received more playing time, and he took advantage by showcasing his rim-pressuring and finishing skills.

He finished the year averaging 9.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game, solidifying his place on the roster for at least the next three seasons on a deal that’ll see him earn over $30 million.

As for where Horton-Tucker stands in the mix of the talent drafted in 2019, Bleacher Report did a re-draft of that year and had the 6-foot-4 guard going No. 8 overall:

To non-Los Angeles Lakers fans, this placement for Talen Horton-Tucker might feel aggressive. After all, THT has played only 1,385 NBA minutes and has a below-average career BPM. His career 28.5 3-point percentage is concerning, too.

But in today’s increasingly positionless NBA, the 20-year-old’s slashing and passing give him star potential.

For his career, Horton-Tucker has averaged 16.3 points, 4.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 threes per 75 possessions. LaMelo Ball is the only player in league history to match or exceed all those marks through an age-20 season.

If THT backed up those wide-ranging contributions with an average 3-point percentage, he would be even higher up this list.

The 6’4″ Horton-Tucker may be undersized in matchups against certain forwards or wings, but high-end athleticism, his 234-pound frame and his 7’1″ wingspan generally make up for that. In fact, given his physical tools and strong steal rate, his defensive profile might be even higher than that of his offense.

The Lakers are expecting Horton-Tucker to take another leap this season based on his production from last year, though there are plenty of guards he’ll have to compete with to earn minutes.

But to see the young guard go in the lottery after being a second-round pick illustrates the adeptness of the Lakers’ scouting department, which typically excels in finding diamonds in the rough outside of the lottery.

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Full details of Talen Horton-Tucker’s new contract with Lakers

Here’s a look at the key terms of Talen Horton-Tucker’s new three-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers had three ball-handling guards entering the free-agent market in the offseason: Dennis Schroder, Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker.

It was unlikely all three would return because of the Lakers’ financial limitations, which was quickly known when L.A. opted not to bring back Alex Caruso at the price the Chicago Bulls paid.

L.A. had offered Schroder a four-year extension in the $80 million range after trading Danny Green and a 2020 first-round pick for him, but Schroder’s value plummeted after a disappointing playoff outing; he later signed with the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal worth $5.9 million.

That left only Horton-Tucker as a possible player to return. The 20-year-old combo guard emerged onto the scenes after a promising sophomore campaign, transforming into a talent the Lakers couldn’t afford to lose.

Los Angeles inked Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth over $30 million. Here are the terms of the deal, via Keith Smith of Spotrac:

The player option is the biggest note. If Horton-Tucker blossoms into the player L.A. hopes he can be, then he could opt out and re-sign for a bigger payday.

If Horton-Tucker improves his 3-point shooting and overall defense, which he acknowledged are areas to grow, then he’d be worth well over $11 million.

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Talen Horton-Tucker explains decision-making process to re-sign with Lakers

Talen Horton-Tucker described why he chose to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers on a fresh three-year deal.

The Los Angeles Lakers let multiple free agents walk, but not Talen Horton-Tucker.

After letting guards Alex Caruso and Dennis Schroder leave for two Eastern Conference teams, the Lakers retained Horton-Tucker, the third and final ball-handling guard L.A. had in free agency.

Horton-Tucker came back on a three-year deal worth $32 million, so L.A. has strong expctations he’ll continue to blossom after a promising sophomore campaign.

During his press conference after the Lakers announced the deal, Horton-Tucker explained why he chose to return.

“I feel like it was a no-brainer just to come back where I started, kind of run it back,” Horton-Tucker said.

With the Lakers adding win-now veterans Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza and more to the fold, it’s not a secret L.A. is all-in for another title. Horton-Tucker said chasing a ring, especially with this roster, played a huge factor in his decision.

“I want to win championships and compete, so being around these group of guys we’re going to have is going to be a plus for me,” Horton-Tucker said. “It’s going to be great.”

The 20-year-old guard needs to improve his perimeter shooting and overall defense, but he already acknowledged those two pieces are crucial to his development next season.

If Horton-Tucker can gradually assemble the parts to his skill set, he could become a seriously potent talent in this league.

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