Lakers News: How Talen Horton-Tucker Can Develop In Utah

21-year-old ex-Lakers swingman Talen Horton-Tucker finds himself changing zip codes this offseason, as the centerpiece of the trade that sent veteran point guard Patrick Beverley to Los Angeles. In 2022-23, Horton-Tucker will suit up for the Utah Jazz. He should get plenty of time to play through mistakes on a rebuilding Utah club.

Horton-Tucker should get extended run in a new, rebuilding environment. Clearly, Utah team president Danny Ainge must still be intrigued by THT's formerly tantalizing ceiling, considering that L.A. did not have to send out a pick to the Jazz in the exchange.

It seemed clear that THT's days in Los Angeles were numbered, one way or another, after a disappointing first season of his (very generous) three-year, $30.8 million new contract.

On a Los Angeles club desperate for young, athletic players who could create and defend, Horton-Tucker struggled to do much of either in 2021-22. In 60 games, the 6'4" guard averaged 10 points per contest on .416/.269/.800 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 25.2 minutes a night. The field goal and three-point percentages represent career lows.

He also was not particularly popular in the locker room of that 33-49 L.A. club, loaded with older players.

“When I talked to some people connected to Horton-Tucker, he was kind of on an island in the sense of he’s like the only young guy,” Chris Vernon of The Ringer remarked after THT was dealt. “This is an old team with a bunch of veteran guys. He didn’t have a bunch of friends.”

Across two preseason games with the Jazz, Horton-Tucker has averaged 3.0 points per game on a cumulative 3-of-13 shooting from the floor, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 turnovers and no assists or steals across an average of 12.5 minutes. The Jazz next play tonight against the similarly-tanking San Antonio Spurs.

With so many Jazz veterans still possibly looking for an exit, much of the Jazz's actual rotation remains in flux. It's hard to gauge how much Horton-Tucker will actually play. He has been a reserve in both contests.

Point guard Mike Conley, wing Malik Beasley, combo guard Jordan Clarkson, power forward Rudy Gay, and maybe even younger forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Lauri Markkanen could all be on the move at some point this season for Utah, as the club looks to bottom out in the race to acquire one of the top two players in the 2023 draft, big man Victor Wembanyama or point guard Scoot Henderson.

THT has appeared to be somewhat out of shape in his two Utah games, though to be fair, it is preseason and the 21-year-old can probably drop the weight in a hurry as needed.

Theoretically, the long-armed (he has a 7'1" wingspan) Iowa State product should be able to help the Jazz as a secondary playmaker, an athletic downhill option in transition, and as a perimeter defender. That is his ceiling and he figures to get plenty of time on a team hoping to tank. But there's no guarantee he clicks for Utah as a long-term option.