Lake Show Life
Fansided

Lakers: 3 most important players while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are out

By Najee Adams

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Anthony Davis #3 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shake hands prior to a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on January 07, 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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Anthony Davis #3 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shake hands prior to a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on January 07, 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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Most important Lakers: 2. Talen Horton-Tucker

Talen Horton-Tucker captured the hearts of Lakers Nation on the very night that the team drafted him.

The elite two-way potential was there from the start. The 6’4′ guard with the 7’1′ wingspan, shifty crossover and deadly step-back jumper, if put together correctly, could be a force to be reckoned with for years to come in this league.

THT has gone from playing in six games and averaging 13.5 minutes his rookie season to being a true rotational player for one of the best rosters in all of basketball at just 20 years old.

Like Kuzma, he’s struggled without James, averaging just 10.6 points on 43.9% shooting over the last nine games. While 43.9% is horrible by any means, THT is only attempting 2.1 triples per game meaning that most of his shots are coming either directly at or close to the basket.

Now, I think that it’s fair to say that THT is doing exactly what should be expected of him. It’s not easy to lose the best playmaker to ever play the game of basketball, especially not halfway through your sophomore season.

The reason why I’d argue that he’s one of the Lakers most important players while Davis and James are sidelined is due to the fact that according to reports, he was the asset standing in between the Lakers and Kyle Lowry.

I’m of the thought that the Lakers need to do everything possible in order to maximize their championship window with James, and adding Lowry to the roster would have been doing just that.

It hurt to see Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, Josh Hart and Julius Randle leave and prosper with other teams, but raising that 17th Larry O’Brien Trophy made it all better.

Now, with the trade deadline firmly passed and Lowry still with the Raptors, THT needs to contribute enough to the team to make it feel worth not trading him.

In no way am I saying that he needs to start averaging 18+ points on 50% shooting, but being able to show more consistency on a nightly basis shouldn’t be too much to ask.

The Lakers didn’t hold onto THT for what he’ll be able to contribute this season, but instead, they did it due to what he’s capable of producing down the line.

He’s shown flashes for sure, but if he can start turning heads and providing a reliable output every single night he’ll do much, much more than prove that he was worth keeping.

Home/Lakers News