The season isn’t over yet, but the Lakers will have roster decisions to make this offseason. One of the young pieces they have is Talen Horton-Tucker.
His contract only accounts for five percent of the team’s cap space, but his struggles this season have made Lakers fans wonder if he should be an integral part of the future.
When he gets an opportunity to shine, he takes advantage. Against the Spurs, he led the team with eighteen points as he played without LeBron or Anthony Davis next to him. But, this performance continues to show his performances from game to game are streaky.
His shot efficiency has decreased compared to last season. The Lakers are looking for players that can help them make a championship run next year. Let’s explore why the Lakers should trade their 2019 second-round pick.
Why Talen Horton-Tucker Will No Longer Be a Laker
LeBron does not have much time left in this league. Of course, he continues to age like fine wine and plays outstanding basketball. But, at the age of 37, we cannot expect him to singlehandedly lead this team to the Finals.
Anthony Davis has battled injuries all year, and who knows if the injury bug will continue to haunt him next season. This team needs players that can come in and make a big difference immediately.
Before the trade deadline, Los Angeles was in discussion with the Knicks and Raptors on a potential three-team trade.
REPORT: Lakers, Knicks, Raptors have discussed a potential 3-team trade;
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 10, 2022
Lakers: Cam Reddish, Alec Burks
Knicks: Goran Dragic, Draft picks
Raptors: Talen-Horton Tucker, Nerlens Noel
Kendrick Nunn could also be included
(via @MikeAScotto)
?
If the Lakers could, it’s a strong possibility they would take that trade in a heartbeat. Cam Reddish is a young player who can come in and contribute on both sides of the ball. Alec Burks provides shooting and can run the point off the bench.
As this is being published, the Purple & Gold rank 11th in shooting percentage. It’s not an awful number, but a player like Reddish or Burks would have definitely raised their percentage up.
The experiment with bringing veteran players to help this team win was an absolute failure. You cannot expect Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Dwight Howard, and others to make a difference every single game. It isn’t 2014 anymore.
In terms of trading for players in the offseason, the Lakers do not have much in terms of draft picks. They will be allowed to trade their 2027 first-round pick, but there are not many players they can pair with the pick to bring assets in.
Talen Horton-Tucker is one of the few players they have to trade away. He’s a young player who just needs more time to develop. If there’s a team that is willing to wait on him, the Lakers should absolutely take that deal.
If the Lakers decide to keep him, it makes sense. There’s a reason why they drafted him in the second round of 2019. His potential is still unknown, but he’s a young player that can help contribute by creating for others.
There are times when he performs as he did against San Antonio. Continuing to have performances the rest of the season like that will likely force LA to keep him as a core part of the team.
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