1. The Los Angeles Lakers obviously love Talen Horton-Tucker as a player
This is not the case of the Los Angeles Lakers having a young asset that could simply be flipped, as they have had plenty of those that they have traded throughout the years. This is a case of the Lakers having someone who they really believe in and convincing a team that really believes in a player is hard to do.
Don’t believe me? The Los Angeles Lakers traded future draft capital for the 42nd pick in the NBA Draft that way they could trade THT. That was not by accident. They did not simply want a second-round pick in 2019 to have one.
Second-round picks rarely make an impact. The fact that the Lakers liked someone enough to trade into a draft in which they did not have a second-round pick should be telling in itself.
However, the fact that he is even playing at this point in his career should also be telling. The Lakers, as a title-contending team, are giving legitimate minutes to a 20-year-old. And while the has had some hiccups, he has mostly played well with his time.
THT has legitimate two-way potential and the Lakers know that and when they believe in someone they keep them around.
Look at Alex Caruso. The Los Angeles Lakers believed in him, helped develop his game (while still having LeBron James keep in mind) and now he is a huge part of the rotation and is one of the five-best defensive point guards in the entire NBA.
The trade return for THT would have to be significant to convince the Los Angeles Lakers to part ways with a 20-year-old player that they really love and not team values THT as much as the Lakers do right now as they have not seen him in-house.
The Lakers have often been ahead of the curve with these players. Just look at all the great role players (and all-stars) that are scattered throughout the league that started with the Lakers. If they like someone, it means something.