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The Los Angeles Lakers made a difficult decision in the offseason by resigning Talen-Horton Tucker over Alex Caruso. It was hard for Lakers fans to say goodbye to the beloved Caruso, as he was a favorite and was an integral part of their championship team.
Nonetheless, Lakers boss Rob Pelinka used his cap space to bring back THT and added a slew of veterans. Horton-Tucker was brought back on a three-year $32 million deal, while the Chicago Bulls signed Caruso on a four-year, $37 million contract.
Although it was a tough choice, here are three reasons the Lakers were right in keeping Horton-Tucker over Caruso.
3. Horton-Tucker is younger
One of the knocks on the Lakers heading into the season was their old roster. Resigning THT gave Frank Vogel much-needed youth paired with the rest of the veteran lineup.
Horton-Tucker has been saluted for his hard work and dedication by his teammates and coaches. He has played well in his first two games back following an injury in the preseason, earning high praise from Anthony Davis (via Silver Screen and Roll).
“A lot of guys, you come back, and you're kind of rusty. But he came in like he had been playing with us this whole time. The work he's been able to put in, even though he had his injury, to still take his work seriously and his conditioning seriously, and he's also 20 years old too. To come in and play the way he played definitely helped us get this win.”
These comments came after Horton-Tucker's outstanding performance in his first game back against the San Antonio Spurs. What he can do at a young age is shocking, and it is no wonder why the Lakers resigned him.
2. Horton-Tucker is a better scorer
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Another pivotal factor in bringing back Horton-Tucker over Caruso is the scoring element in his game. In his first two games this season, he's averaged 22.5 points along with five rebounds. He has also improved his three-point shooting percentage, going from a career 29.1 percent to 35.7 percent so far. While it is a small sample size, it is great to see his improvement and scoring ability.
Although his numbers will not likely stay this high, as LeBron James is set to return soon, he should have a considerable impact on the team. THT can be a legitimate fourth or fifth offensive option behind James, Davis, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony. He is a tough cover for defenses and could get easy looks as the aforementioned four offensive threats often get double-teamed.
With his ability to create off the dribble, attack the paint, and his improved shooting, THT will play a vital role for the Lakers.
1. Horton-Tucker has more potential
The biggest reason for Pelinka signing Horton-Tucker over Caruso is his potential. Although Caruso has improved throughout his career, THT has more upside as a scorer and all-around player. Both of them play critical roles for their respective teams, but Horton-Tucker could grow into a star in the next few seasons.
In fact, despite the Lakers' mediocre record, Vogel continues to rave about the young wingman (via (Lakers nation).
“He's going to be a big part of what we do though, we know that. We invested in him this summer for a reason. We got a strong belief in that young man, like I said, in what he can do on both sides of the ball. Obviously, when we get whole, we have a lot of good choices, but he's going to be a big part of it.”
Horton-Tucker's unreal potential will be showcased this season and he will help the Lakers make a deep postseason run. While Lakers fans would have preferred to keep both Horton-Tucker and Caruso, the team made the right choice between the two of them.
