https://officialbballuniversity.com/why-the-lakers-need-talen-horton-tucker-to-fulfill-his-potential/
My latest article, featuring my thoughts on THT:
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October 3, 2021 7 Comments
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Excellent analysis on THT, Spencer. I agree 100% with your opening comment that “the construction of the Lakers roster necessitates that Talen Horton-Tucker develops his game soon.”
The two areas where THT must dramatically improve are ‘on ball defense’ and ‘3-point shooting,’ both of which will be a major challenge for the 20-year old to accomplish in time to earn major rotation minutes on a ‘win now’ championship bound team that’s exceptionally deep at two guard.
Frankly, I don’t see how THT can earn major minutes this season unless he makes significant progress in both of these areas. The competition on this roster is too good and the Lakers need to win now too great for them to waste minutes on player development that does not also translate into wins right now.
Besides building a roster with a lot of competition for THT, the Lakers are going to face real challenges trying to upgrade the current roster at the trade deadline or next summer because of a lack of tradeable contracts. Other than THT’s $10M contract and Nunn’s $5M contract, the Lakers don’t have any trading chips other than vet minimun deals.
That means THT and Nunn could both be bundled with a third vet minimum player to bring in a player like Buddy Hield making between $18M to 22M per year. So both THT and Nunn will be under pressure if the Lakers have a hold they need to fill or get presented with an opportunity they cannot refuse during the season or next offseason.
Bottom line, I will be rooting for Talen but think he’s facing a tough road ahead to earn a permanent role with the Lakers. To do that, he MUST play better defense and hit his threes this year. Otherwise, he will be gone by next summer.
I think you meant off the ball defense Tom. THT has constantly garnered praise for his on the ball defense. He has received a lot of praise for his off season development so it will be interesting to see how that looks as the preseason, shakes out. One thing for sure, they are not going to trade for Buddy not with 3 wings that can shoot the 3 as well as him. If they were to make a trade it would probably be for an area like combo forward which is our greatest need. I know you are concerned with losing Nunn after the season, but if the Lakers are cooking and he is an important part of that run, they won’t trade him. It’s not easy winning a ring. You don’t worry about the off season. You do whatever it takes to win now.
Aloha, Michael. I think THT has had a problem on the ball due to a lack of lateral quickness and off the ball due to a lack of good defensive principles. He is nowhere near being an excellent defender. On the ball, he is too slow and struggles to get around picks.
I’m hoping losing weight will help his quickness but it’s going to be hard for him to improve both his individual defense and 3-point shooting in time to earn major minutes on a ‘win now’ Lakers team. He was given the raise as much to position him as a future trading chip than to reward guaranteed success.
THT has great talent but also great needs to become great. I think he will get there but probably not as a Laker.
Actually he had no problem on the ball. He has high marks and a lot of praise from the team for on the ball defense. Even this article said he was good on the ball. I think he sticks and they develop him. The question for me is always, who can you get that will be better, especially if you have to give up multiple guys. Say you have to give up both Nunn and THT up. There isn’t a star you can get for their combined salaries.
I’m not sold on THT being able to have the quickness to defend the one or the two. It’s like he’s too big to slow down when faked out. Those long arms and huge hands and big body get going in one direction, it’s hard to stop and change direction. He can be beaten off the dribble and struggles negotiating screens. I think he will evole into an excllent defender but probably as an undersized three rather than a two.
The bottom line is THT is too far from being a major contributor that the chances are he will be traded are higher than he will stay on the team. Not entirely his fault but he’s now, by design imo, the Lakers next trading chip.
As to the comments about not worrying about the trade deadline or offseason, I think one of the Laker problems has been not positioning themselves as best they can to be able to make the right kinds of moves at the trade deadline and during offseason.
Right now, the Lakers only have two trading chips for the deadline or summer: THT $10M and Nunn $5M. That’s it. I will bet you will see us make moves at the trade deadline to bring in tradable contracts so we have flexibility next summer. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see THT and Nunn be traded for players whom we will be able to keep next summer. Right now, the chances of us keeping Monk or Nunn are slim and none.
We’re now moving on beyond the Pandemic and the newe TV contract will boost the salary cap to $170M. Lakers need to start signing players whom they can ive max deals to upgrade the roster because that’s what we’re going to see starting this summer. Lakers don’t want to be left out in the cold when the next run starts.
Anyway, that’s my take on our salary cap position. We’ve made major moves every summer. Lakers will make sure to have flexibility this coming summer, which means we will make a big trade or two before the trade deadline. Battle for the two guard will affect the moves the Lakers make at the deadline.
Great read Spencer. I couldn’t agree more on your observation in regards to his ability to get to the rim being limited. I hadn’t read your article yet prior to the podcast yesterday but it echoes a lot of what I’ve seen: mediocre at verticality shots, no floater, not a knockdown jump shooter unless it’s off the bounce.
I completely agree with your observation that the Lakers chose THT over AC and I think this will come back to bite them. The Great Caruso, the one that got away…