The Los Angeles Lakers are looking good and have a good chance of winning another NBA title. The focus has been on LeBron James and Anthony Davis although some of the new faces like Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell have been making a good account of themselves.
This means that other regulars in the mix like Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso and Talen Horton Tucker will have to find a way to crack the rotation. Kuzma already showed that in their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Caruso will have his moments but the player that most wants to see shine is Horton-Tucker.
In the NBA preseason, the 20-year-old made quite an impression. He grabbed the opportunity to shine with the Lakers resting their main stars. But as most know, the story is entirely different once the regular season games start. Sadly, Horton-Tucker has hardly made a good account of himself.
So far, he has played in only three games averaging 7.7 points, 1.7 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 13 minutes of action. These were a far cry from his averages of 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists in four games.
Some would say that the 6-foot-4 guard just needs to be patient until his number is called. But with the stacked roster the Lakers have, will he ever get that chance?
Critics feel that Horton-Tucker could get his chance to shine if he plays for a team that could put him to good use. That team is likely to be one of the rag-tag teams. Hence, it may all boil down to what the sophomore wants. Aside from that, it also depends on what the Lakers plan to do with him.
Did anyone tweet video of the THT pull-up from last night? — Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) December 28, 2020
There is reason to believe that Horton-Tucker could make a difference for another team. He showed that when he got the most minutes for the Lakers this season against the T-Wolves. He finished with 12 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. This was the same game when Kuzma stole the spotlight.
In all, players like Talen Horton-Tucker can only shine if they are given ample time. He may be on the wrong team and his fortunes could change if he gets the chance to play for another team.
The Lakers could care less at this point unless a tempting offer is given. For now, THT will have to be content with his meager minutes. He will get his chances but his true potential may never come out for as long as the Lakers have a deep and talented rotation.
