Report: Talen Horton-Tucker has ‘low’ trade value, being labeled as a ‘bad contract’

By David Akerman
Updated: February 8, 2022

The Los Angeles Lakers currently don’t look like the title contenders that many people thought they would be. The team has a record of 26-28 and sits in ninth place in the Western Conference.

L.A. apparently wants to make an “impact move” before the league’s trade deadline comes and goes, but the team is reportedly expected to have a hard time doing so as it doesn’t have many “tradable assets.”

One of the few assets the team does have is youngster Talen Horton-Tucker. He’s being offered to teams in trade discussions, but it seems like there isn’t that much interest in the 21-year-old.

“League insiders have indicated that Talen Horton-Tucker and perhaps the team’s 2027 first-round pick are on the table at the deadline,” wrote Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “But my sources tell me the appetite for Horton-Tucker is low, with one experienced league source even calling the 21-year-old a player with a ‘bad contract.'”

It’s certainly interesting to see how much Horton-Tucker’s trade value has dropped recently. He hasn’t had the best season, as he’s currently averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Horton-Tucker has two years left on his deal following the conclusion of this season, but he does hold a player option for the 2023-24 season.

With the NBA trade deadline just days away, this situation is one to keep an eye on. The Iowa State University product has reportedly been offered to the Boston Celtics along with a future pick in exchange for veteran Josh Richardson, but no deal has been made yet.

If the season ended today, the Lakers would have to participate in the play-in tournament for the second consecutive campaign. L.A. is surely hoping to avoid that.