Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players we’re most excited to see vs. Brooklyn Nets

3. Talen Horton-Tucker

This is a completely new-look Los Angeles Lakers team and Talen Horton-Tucker is one of just three players from last season’s team that is still on the roster. For that reason, people might be forgetting just how young THT really is.

Let’s not downplay the fact that THT is still only 20 years old, turns 21 in November, and is expected to have a role in this rotation. It is not even like we are expecting too much out of THT either as he obviously is capable of playing a bigger role.

THT is going to be even more important to the team this season with Alex Caruso leaving for Chicago. Caruso was the team’s best perimeter defender and with KCP out of town as well, THT is going to have to step up and be the best perimeter defender this season.

THT was exceptional in the preseason last season and it would not be surprising whatsoever to see THT thrive this preseason as well. He already seems much more advanced than the other young players that often play in the preseason as well.

This is a big year for THT. The Lakers paid him a pretty penny after just two years in the league and the hope is that he continues to evolve as a player. That evolution has to continue this year and if he does not take any sort of step up then there is going to be a problem.

Luckily, that seems far-fetched and chances are THT is even better next season than he was last season.