2.) Talen Horton-Tucker and the rest of the rookies
The young Laker rookie wing should be getting his first glimpse of NBA action after sitting out the entirety of the Summer League due to injury. Although his offensive skills are questionable, his defense is the most interesting part of Talen Horton-Tucker, and it is exciting to see what he can bring to the table.
If we see flashes of elite perimeter defense from Tucker, he will be making an already stifling Laker defense even better. In addition, the other rookies, Devontae Cacok and Zach Norvell Jr. should be getting plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents in the preseason as well. Jordan Caroline would have, but he is out for multiple weeks with an injury.
Along with Tucker, Cacok is someone I’m very interested to see in preseason, as he already made a good impression during the team’s Summer League run where he flashed his ability as pick and roll big man and rebounder.
The springy, undersized center can help the team bring some rebounding and energy off the bench, and he should be getting his fair share of minutes this preseason.