Talen Horton-Tucker is the talk of the NBA world right now. After two epic performances for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Los Angeles Clippers in the preseason, THT's popularity is at an all-time high.
In fact, Horton-Tucker's popularity has skyrocketed over the past few days that even his NBA rookie cards are selling like hotcakes–at prices that can buy you more than just a hotcake.
To put this in perspective, some of the regular Horton-Tucker rookie cards (Optic, Mosaic, Prizm etc.) are selling for just less than $5 last November. After all, he didn't play much for the Purple and Gold in his rookie year, registering just six games with measly averages of 5.7 points, 1.2 rebound and 1.0 assist. He also only suit up in two games for the Lakers in their playoff run in the bubble–not even appearing in the Finals against the Miami Heat.
With that said, the possibility of a breakout year for THT looked bleak … until this preseason when he's given the opportunity to start for the Lakers.
The 20-year-old shooting guard certainly did not waste the opportunity, scoring 19 points and recording nine rebounds and four assists in their opening preseason win against the Clippers. He then followed it up with a 33-point, 10-rebound performance in their second rodeo against the Clips, this time leading Frankl Vogel's squad to a blowout victory.
His most recent performance only fueled the hype on him even more, further increasing the value of his rookie cards at the moment.
Here's a look at the sales of THT's rookie cards on ebay (via 130Point.com). It's worth noting that a pair of Select Concourse Silver sold for $100
Now, with this price surge on THT rookie cards, a lot are asking: is it time to sell his cards when the focus of the market is on him? Or should you hold on them and wait for the market to grow more, especially with the flashes of brilliance he has shown so far?
Talen Horton-Tucker Rookie Cards: Sell 'em!
Sure enough, the simple answer is: it's time to sell 'em.
While THT has shown what he is capable of achieving in the NBA, he may not have a lot of opportunities when the regular season comes. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are reportedly expected to return at the start of the season, so while you can hold on your THT rookie cards to see if he will have more chance when the real games start, it is a huge risk if both LeBron and AD play.
Moreover, it is worth noting that Horton-Tucker is way below the Lakers' depth chart at his position. In order to be able to get significant minutes, he needs to outperform both Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wesley Matthews. KCP is coming off a terrific Finals run with LA, while Wes was brought to the team to bring some much-needed defense.
The Lakers' depth is also the reason why THT didn't get a lot of opportunities during his rookie season, as he had to play behind KCP and Danny Green. He'll be facing the same situation coming into 2020-21.
Of course, he has the potential to become a legitimate contributor for a title contender or a borderline star if given the right avenue to develop, but that is not happening with the Lakers. At least not now.
If he gets traded is another question, especially if his preseason showing can translate to the NBA regular season. However, that is a BIG IF right now.
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