The Growing Young’n: Talen Horton-Tucker
The Los Angeles Lakers will likely not have any rookies on the team this year, so Talen Horton-Tucker gets to run it back as the youngest on the squad. However, I think he’ll get some meaningful minutes this year, and eventually shed the young’n title and start to become one of the big boys.
Last year, in extremely limited minutes, he showed great flashes of potential. He played very well in two playoff games as well.
Granted, that sample size was about 16 minutes, but he was energetic, unafraid and ultimately impactful, driving the lane, shooting threes, snatching steals, grabbing rebounds. His performance provided Laker Nation with just enough to get them salivating over his future with the team.
He’ll have plenty of opportunities to take a big step this year, especially in this unprecedented COVID situation the league is in where a player may have to miss a substantial amount of time.
Vogel has spoken highly of THT’s performance in training camp, too. All the more reason to think he may have a bit of a coming-out party this year.
Time will tell, but one thing is certain, expect to see more of Talen Horton-Tucker this year.