Talen Horton-Tucker is a young player that the Los Angeles Lakers value very highly. Having just completed his third season in the league, Horton-Tucker already knows what it’s like to win a championship, having been part of the Lakers’ 2020 title-winning roster. On top of that, he has shown flashes of brilliance, which have led to reports suggesting that the Lakers would only trade him for an All-Star.
This stubbornness from the franchise has led to a bit of ridicule for the player himself, with his poor performances last season turning him into a bit of a target for fans. Horton-Tucker averaged just 10 points per game despite playing 25 minutes, and his shooting percentage from three-point range regressed to a lowly 27%.
Despite all this, the noise around him has been positive and in the latest report heavy.com, a Western Conference executive has reportedly agreed that the 21-year-old does have value.
“I think, with Talen, obviously he did not get to where everyone wanted him to be that quickly. 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.”
Horton-Tucker will need to improve immensely next season to justify the level of belief that organizations and executives seem to be showing in him. With the Lakers not having much of a chance to make big changes if they decide to keep Westbrook, they will be counting on Horton-Tucker finally making that leap to a starting-caliber player next season.
