Talen Horton-Tucker Discussion: Growing Pains

Prioritize him and the Eagle by moving Schroder to the bench and into not picking up his option next year? Each of them l think are more valuable to future of team than Dennis.

 

THT be like:

 

yeah, this reiterates what i've been saying. expect that we'll be paying THT 4/80, with the first two years being at the MLE. we'll have two years to get finances in order before we have to pay him the max (for only two years).

this isn't lin/asik--guys who weren't worth those deals--so i expect we'll match anything and it's a waste of time for suitors.

 

Wow, I think that's a reach. Kid is good and has high ceiling. But c'mon, an all star after 10 games? Gotta love internet. Maybe he gets there, it's really early to tell and most probably won't.

We will need an all star guard after LeBron who is a leader. My dream is Booker, even bought is jersey a couple of days ago. I really hope he becomes a Laker. We will see

 

If some team does offer the “poison pill” deal, I’d like to think the Lakers might just offer him the same total deal, but spread out more evenly. THT would double his first year salary on that deal from what another team could offer, and for a 20 year old, I don’t see why he wouldn’t prefer that if the total value of the contract is equal.

 

Lakers can match THT offers, right?

 

Right. But other teams can jack up the last 2 years to make the whole package worth 80M.

 

For just having turned 20 the kid seems fearless to me. Evidenced by he keeps going out there since his pre-season explosion of 33 points .... and making BIG plays on both sides of the ball. Very few crappy stints of play from him. 50% FT last year, 91.7% this year. 36.4 from 3, .547 effective FG. Good - great passing, good - great defense for so young. Bully balling vets in the league with not nearly developed body yet. Virtually a rookie with so few games last year with the big squad but should be in the conversation for MIP this year.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hortota01.html

 

"You really have to trust your scouting dept to offer Talen-Horton Tucker a max Arenas offer"

True and we do. They've certainly earned that. Incredible performance last 6-7 years. But now you can also throw in the actual Coach of the team who LOVES him. If not for the politics of the situation would probably, maybe even still possibly .... later on, be starting him at some point this year over Schroder. Even MORE importantly you have peeps here on Lakersball seeing his potential.

 

I'm in. I'm a believer in the way he reads the game. He has natural ability and he spent time substantial time with LBJ, Rondo, Kidd and now Gasol. He makes great decisions and his wingspan makes gives him a game breaking advantage. He's outreaching centers and PFs in some of these plays.

Best combo guard in the league is the ceiling, best case scenario. I'd say the floor is pretty high too. A player I thought of was Sam Cassell. Different style of play vs THT. But as a rookie he immediately contributed to a championship team, like THT. Sam had that old man post up game from the elbow as a rookie, and I bring that up for this reason - THT, in his own way has an old man game.

Physically he's like Eric Gordon, but Gordon usually barreled into the lane and was injured all the time. THT's not a slasher like Gordon, he reads the game and stays low to the ground. He can play like this for years. If not an all-star, he can at least be an above-average guard for several years like Cassell.

 

Maybe he was thinking of the 4 year 80M max

 

2 games in a row, no doubt being young he's been aware of the great press he's been getting ..... he's trying too hard with some of the degree of difficulty moves. Not high %. He's got what ... like 10 great people around him that certainly will let him know. Like Kuz had to learn, let the game come to him and give himself wider margin for error on these more difficult moves and passes as he continues to push the envelope.

 

First 4 or more months of Kuz's rookie year my line was he was going to be the first player inducted in the HOF while still active.