Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the injured rotation players by impact

By Jason Reed | Nov 8, 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the start of a pre-season game against the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center on October 3, 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 Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

1. Talen Horton-Tucker

Talen Horton-Tucker is the future of the Los Angeles Lakers. While the team is not expecting him to blossom into a superstar, Rob Pelinka essentially chose to re-sign THT over Alex Caruso, even though they really could have signed both.

While Caruso is already making the Lakers look silly, you cannot fault the Lakers for choosing THT over Caruso. THT is still only 20 years old. If all goes as planned, he will be in the purple and gold for at least the next decade.

THT’s impact on the Los Angeles Lakers is two-fold. First, he is going to help facilitate offensively. While Nunn is the third facilitator, THT can take the ball up the court and is a great outlet passer. He is someone who is going to keep the ball moving by hitting an open shooter with that extra pass.

More importantly, though, THT is going to have to be the Lakers’ best perimeter defender. The Lakers are not going to go very far in the playoffs if they can’t have just one really good perimeter defender and that is going to have to be THT.

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THT is a good defender but he is going to have to take a step up with a bigger role. He and Anthony Davis are going to be the defensive anchors of the team and that will get THT in the closing lineup.

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