A time seen as the future of the Lakers, as one of the best young people in the NBA, Talen Horton-Tucker was finally traded to Utah for Patrick Beverley. But before leaving, he would have once again been the reason why an XXL trade was not made in Los Angeles.
The Lakers should be the most active team on the market by the resumption of the season, since Rob Pelinka must still make a few trades to build a workforce capable of playing the title with the Warriors or the Suns. He started by bringing in Patrick Beverley against Talen Horton-Tucker, to the delight of Angelinos fans.
And what would make them even happier is a departure from Russell Westbrook, very disappointing last season, against the two sure values that are Buddy Hield and Myles Turner of Indiana. But why would the Pacers agree to lose two players of this level, including one who is still young, against a point guard whom no one wants and who must be one of the highest paid men in the NBA?
The Lakers did not want to let go of THT in Indiana!
But according to Michael Scotto of the site HoopsHype, the Purple and Gold could have already had their two targets in the workforce, but an XXL deal would have fallen through because of… Talen Horton-Tucker! Indeed, a few weeks before his trade to Utah, Rob Pelinka still saw the young rear as an untouchable nugget. He must probably regret today, especially if these revelations are true.
One interesting thing to note is that prior to the Lakers-Jazz trade involving Talen Horton-Tucker and Patrick Beverley, I heard the Pacers were looking to recoup THT. They wanted Russell Westbrook, two first-round picks, and THT therefore, against Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and Daniel Theis. The Lakers weren’t yet interested in parting ways with Horton-Tucker.
Today, almost all Lakers fans are hoping to see Buddy Hield and Myles Turner arrive to set up a very high level starting 5… And obviously, they would already be part of the workforce if Rob Pelinka had decided earlier to exchange Talen Horton-Tucker, who once again blocked interesting negotiations. Internet users are in denial.
There’s no way the Lakers turned down Turner and Hield because of THT, only to send him to Utah for Pat Bev. I can not believe it.
Barely gone, the name of Talen Horton-Tucker is already back in Lakers news, and not necessarily for very different reasons. flattering. After having prevented the exchange for Kyle Lowry last summer, he would have prevented that of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner!