The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a step towards retaining one of their most important free agents this offseason.
Talen Horton-Tucker, a guard who just wrapped up his second season in the NBA, will become a restricted free agent. The Lakers will have the right to match any offer another team offers him as they have officially extended a qualifying offer to the young guard.
Horton-Tucker may be, at least in some ways, the team’s most attractive trade chip if it opts to go in that direction. After barely playing last season, he got significant minutes this year and showed a fair amount of potential.
He has an uncanny ability to seek the rim and convert layups, and his passing and facilitating also showed improvement. His midrange game and outside shot need a fair amount of work, but many feel he has the potential to eventually become a very good player.
Since Horton-Tucker likely won’t be ready to start next season, the Lakers look to be in the market for a difference-making point guard who can both score and make plays for others. Such a player would go a long way towards helping the team regain the NBA championship next summer.
