Lake Show Life
Fansided

Lakers can trade for former MVP in potential Talen Horton-Tucker package

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after fouling Reggie Jackson #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena on February 25, 2022 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after fouling Reggie Jackson #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena on February 25, 2022 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Why the Los Angeles Lakers could say yes to this trade:

On the surface, this trade might not seem to make a lot of sense for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team already has a point guard in Russell Westbrook that ate up a lot of the minutes last season and putting Derrick Rose next to him does not make a lot of sense.

That being said, the Lakers should be reducing Westbrook’s workload next season to optimize him on this roster. While Westbrook is not going to like it, the team really should be limiting him to 25 minutes per game. Splitting both him and Rose is something that the Lakers could absolutely effectively do.

Not only does trading for Rose gives the team a second point guard that can help run the offense when Westbrook is not on the court, but it gives the team a contingency plan for Westbrook. There are free-agent contingency plans that the Lakers could sign that would theoretically take over and start if they bought out or traded Westbrook midseason. Rose too could be a contingency plan.

Westbrook actively made Anthony Davis worse as the floor spacing was terrible, forcing AD to become a jump-shooter and be one of the worst jump-shooters in the league. While Rose is not a lights-out three-point shooter, he does have more range than Westbrook and he would be a great guard to play alongside AD to maximize his offensive skill set.

Horton-Tucker has value in the future, sure, but he was really bad last season and the Lakers may not even see that value as THT could end up leaving the team before his full potential blossoms.

Home/Lakers News