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Lakers: 3 teams that could offer Talen Horton-Tucker a poison-pill contract

By Luca De Angelis

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball defended by Mike Muscala #33 of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on February 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball defended by Mike Muscala #33 of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on February 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

1. Detroit Pistons

Salary by year:

  • 2021-22: $107,798,995
  • 2022-23: $51,896,600
  • 2023-24: $20,104,318
  • 2024-25: $2,866,667

Detroit is one of the best candidates from a basketball standpoint to offer Talen Horton-Tucker a poison-pill contract. Arguably the worst roster in the league, the Pistons desperately desire young talent.

They aren’t entirely bereft of talent. Jerami Grant has emerged as a potential superstar, and they have other young building blocks like Killian Hayes (19), Saddiq Bey (21), and Isaiah Stewart (19). However, they need young two-way players, and Talen Horton-Tucker fits the bill.

To make a poison-pill contract work, Detroit most likely needs to shed some salary. This season, they are seven million dollars over the salary cap of approximately $109 million. Next season, they have $107 million on the books, which wouldn’t leave enough money to sign Talen Horton-Tucker to a poison-pill contract.

However, let’s assume that the salary cap experiences a modest increase (it’s currently projected at $112 million as per HoopsRumors), and the Pistons find a way to shed the last year of Rodney McGruder’s contract ($5.3 million), leaving $10 million in cap space for the upcoming season.

From there, Detroit would need to shed an additional $5 million of salary to fit THT’s hypothetical $15 million per year under the 2021-22 salary cap.

For a team with the unenviable distinction of the worst contract in the NBA (Blake Griffin), the Pistons cap situation is surprisingly manageable. They’re a couple of minor moves away from being in a position to offer Talen Horton-Tucker a poison-pill contract.

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