The Los Angeles Lakers might be in for a rough season, as reports say that the team may miss Talen Horton-Tucker even more than previously thought. Currently, the Lakers are 8-16, and they have no chance of making the playoffs.
The nba news is reporting that the Los Angeles Lakers might miss Talen Horton-Tucker more than previously thought. They are saying that they will be missing him for an indefinite amount of time due to a knee injury.
Given the recent allegations concerning Talen Horton-Tucker, the Los Angeles Lakers may be in a worse position than originally believed going into the 2021-22 NBA season.
For the next several weeks, the Lakers will be missing guard Horton-Tucker, who is recovering from damaged ligaments in his thumb. THT seemed to be filling a crucial reserve position heading into the new season. However, recent rumors indicate that the Lakers had a bigger plan for the Chicago native, suggesting that his absence might be important.
After signing a three-year, $32 million contract with the Lakers in the summer, Talen Horton-Tucker had surgery on his thumb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TucVcWB RnM
Talen Horton-Tucker continued to show indications of improvement for the Lakers throughout the preseason, much as he did in the early part of last season. His performance was particularly promising given that he inked a three-year, $32 million contract with LA in the summer.
However, THT’s development was hampered by a thumb injury. Horton-Tucker had to have surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his right thumb and was ruled out for the foreseeable future.
In the summer, the Lakers added depth to their backcourt by acquiring veteran point guard Rajon Rondo. Russell Westbrook, a rookie, will undoubtedly play a key part in the Lakers’ quest for a title.
The Lakers, on the other hand, were said to have huge plans for Horton-Tucker ahead of the regular season, which may make his injury all the more significant as they attempt to get back on track in the first few weeks of the new season.
Horton-Tucker was considered for a spot in the Lakers’ starting lineup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVxG2 DS960
By basically selecting Talen Horton-Tucker over Alex Caruso, who signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers put a lot of chips in the Talen Horton-Tucker basket. The former Iowa State standout had seemingly done enough to earn a spot in the starting lineup.
Before THT’s thumb injury, ESPN’s Zach Lowe claimed that the Lakers were considering putting him in the starting lineup. As Lowe pointed out, Horton-versatility Tucker’s to defend various positions is critical for head coach Frank Vogel’s squad, particularly if Vogel decides to give Anthony Davis a lot of playing time at center.
Furthermore, Horton-versatility Tucker’s as a backup ball-handler might have relieved some of the burden on Westbrook and LeBron James to do everything on the offensive end of the court. Early in his career, he struggled to shoot from outside the arc (28.5 percent), but he still has potential as a slasher and playmaker who can take use of his larger physical build to get into the paint. Horton-Tucker is also useful as a screener and a cutter off the ball.
Horton-Tucker might have served as a swing player for Vogel, allowing the Lakers to switch up their looks and provide value on both ends. In the near term, his injury may make things more complicated in terms of rotation design.
At the two-guard position, who will Frank Vogel start?
On October 6, 2021, in Phoenix, Arizona, Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA preseason game at Footprint Center. | Getty Images/Christian Petersen
The injury to Talen Horton-Tucker leaves a vacancy at the 2-guard position. Who will Vogel choose to replace the position?
As of Monday night, Vogel has yet to make a final decision on the starting lineup. He’ll almost certainly start Kent Bazemore or Kendrick Nunn in the backcourt alongside Westbrook. Both athletes have their own barriers to overcome.
Nunn scored 15.0 points per game in his first two seasons, and he shot 38.7% from three-point range on 5.7 tries a game in 2020-21. However, he is a 6-foot-2 guard with ball-handling and defensive limitations. Although Bazemore isn’t much of a creative, he could offer LA a little more length and provide floor-spacing. Malik Monk should get plenty of minutes, but it’s unclear what his precise position is.
With James, Westbrook, and Davis in the starting five, Horton-Tucker may have been the best match. Instead, Vogel will have to mix and match his rotations to get the best out of them.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tough spot. They might miss Talen Horton-Tucker even more than previously thought according to the latest reports. Reference: lakers roster.
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