Talen Horton-Tucker Discussion: Growing Pains

A) he re-injured his thumb
B) he's not ready for the leap Vogel, Rob, and Bron told us he's ready to make
C) or both

Not entirely sure. Looked like he dinged it up around the time his play plummeted, but everyone said it was fine. But that doesn't grant him blanket immunity for terrible decisions making and turning it over.

He's young so there's going to be inconsistencies. If he's hurt, he should sit. Get 100% and give AR the minutes. If he hit a wall, then figure it the F out. Unfortunately for him, he's making real money and with that comes real accountability that doesn't discriminate based off your age or games played.

 

it's totally normal for a 20 year old kid to be wildly inconsistent

 

I thought he was really good against Detroit and his defense has been solid to good

yesterday he was bad but let's be honest here, the Lakers are putting a 21-year-old well outside his comfort zone.
Like if I just told you what the ideal Laker lineup would be to maximize THT's skills it would definitely not be paired with DAJ and Russell Westbrook. He's a guy who attacks the basket and you give no spacing, another guy who wants to do the exact same thing, and the other guy is shall we say not the best decision maker.

Essentially they are playing THT like's he Caruso and at this stage he's not: he's more of Lebron-lite kind of guy who should be playing with Lebron as a 6th man in a Dwayne Wade type of role with lot's of spacing. He's ideal with AD or even better the Lebron at the 5 lineups. He works ok with Russ as well but not in these DAJ or big man heavy lineups with no spacing.

 

this is all true, but those first three games back he was starting in lebron's spot, playing with those guys, right?

 

I don't think so: this is when they had AD at the 5 and was starting Melo.


I agree he probably hurt his thumb again (him missing layups which he normally he makes in his sleep is indicative of this) and also you have to figure teams actually gameplan for him now. that being said a lineup with AD at 5 and Melo at the 4 is definitely one that plays to THT's strengths and the results follow from that

 

yeah, and for those who handwring about the post-lebron future, it's the beginning of a workable lineup. but instead of vet mins at the 2 and 4, you have like 50 million to spend on those spots.

 

Awful. Sit next to Baze because your $10m is only good as trade bait right now.

His attacks were really good. His 3s were as bad as Bron and AD's. Decision making was meh. On defense he tried, but he was scored on at will. Ellington can put a hand in PG's face as well while he's utilizing the size advantage. At least Wayne would make a3 once he saw the 1st one go down.

Let's poll the class...THT can get you Covington or similar, which is exactly what this team is lacking. What's THT's value worth vs. another ring?

 

I thought he was pretty good on D. He was thrown out there against the beset Clippers player

He needs to hit his open 3's no doubt

But come on he should not be in this lineups, Vogel is setting himself to fail with him playing in the same lineup with a center so stupid

 

I’d trade THT for a bigger SF. TJ Warren or Anouby or something along those lines

 

against trading him now, unless it's for an elite PF/SF that can defend and shoot like Anunoby.

his value is low right now and even if we get a solid role player for him, it's likely that it won't be enough to win the ring.

it would be a desperate move that likely wouldn't change the future of this season.

 

Not Vogel's fault. Rob and Bron swore this kid was ready to do it all on both ends for 48 minutes. And by constructing the roster based on that idiotic fallacy, Frank has nothing else to throw at PG other than an undrafted rookie and that was cover-your-eyes level rough.

 

The THT trade chatter is only going to get louder. All week ESPN LA radio guys were talking about using THT's $10 mil trading chip to get players that can help this team push towards a championship. I'm sorry it will not make a difference

Right now AD/Westbrook/Lebron do not fit well together. Our superstars are beatable and moving an up and coming guy isn't going to fix it.

Hate that another young guy is going to get moved

 

This team is still not getting close to a Chip with switching out THT for a good SF. It’s an attitude problem. I think they feel they can just go on a 20 game win streak at any moment, without trying.
I wish they would snap out of it.
Maybe they will after they get their Champion Coach fired. Maybe not.

 

A THT trade now would be such a bad look.

 

In order for him to work, he needs to hit his shots, and when he isn't, he can't play with the starters.

He will be very good, but I think he would be better coming off the bench for now.

Start Ellington or Monk.

 

THT is going through what Kuzma experienced in 2020/2021. Lakers, being so Lebron-centric, are expecting big things out of him but won't provide a clear role and structure and won't use him in optimal positions. They're not willing to be patient and let him develop but he's an after thought on the court too.