Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons why Talen Horton-Tucker is legit

Talen Horton-Tucker shined in the Los Angeles Lakers’ first preseason game… but is he legit?

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in action just two months after winning the NBA Championship in the NBA bubble. The Lakers “hosted” the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, marking the first preseason game for either team.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and other key role players did not play in this game. The Lakers won a game that does not matter and the biggest takeaway was the performance of Talen Horton-Tucker.

THT was phenomenal in this game, scoring 19 points with nine rebounds and four assists. Yes, it is just a preseason game that does not matter, but THT looked so good that people are already starting to drink the Kool-Aid on him.

Myself included. While I am not going to pretend like THT is going to be some all-star-caliber player anytime soon, I will commit to the fact that he is a legitimate rotational player for the Los Angeles Lakers that will blossom into a key pillar of the Lakers’ roster.

Here are my three reasons to sell THT.

1. Talen Horton-Tucker has elite length

I wanted to start with the intangible part of his game that does not necessarily guarantee success, it just can help success. THT is an athletic 2/3 that my not be towering in size but he has elite length.

THT is only standing at six-foot-four but has a remarkable seven-foot-one wingspan. That wingspan makes things easier on both ends of the floor. His ability to pick off passes and block shots is made better by his length and he will naturally rebound and elevate over defenders easier as a result.

For comparison’s sake, LeBron James has a seven-foot wingspan. While THT is not the freak of nature that LeBron James is, that comparison puts it into perspective how THT will play up to his size in the league.