Talen Horton-Tucker was a player the Lakers were high on a year ago, but he was a young player needing to develop and the Lakers were a veteran-heavy, win-now team. Horton-Tucker only played in six regular season games.
This preseason Horton-Tucker has gotten minutes and exploded — he dropped 33 points on the Clippers Sunday, shooting 11-of-17 from the floor. That came after Horton-Tucker’s opening night performance of 19 points (on 6-of-17 shooting).
That’s 52 points in two games. He has LeBron James standing up off the bench to cheer him on, and shouting him out on Twitter.
Telling you right now! This kid is flat out SPECIAL! Mark my words https://t.co/KOYtlFxNVV
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 12, 2020
It may just be preseason, and the Lakers may be loaded again, but a couple of games like this show Frank Vogel has to find minutes for Horton-Tucker when the regular season starts.
He’s 6'4" and could play minutes behind Wesley Matthews at the two, but he has a 7'1" wingspan that lets him play or guard the three and sometimes the four. One way or another, Vogel has to get Horton-Tucker on the court as a wing. He needs more run to develop, plus he can help now.
It’s a good problem for the Lakers to have — another good young player who needs to be on the court.