The Los Angeles Lakers jumped on the draft board at possibly the latest possible moment. As the early second round picks were being announced, the Lakers sealed a deal with the Orlando Magic. The deal, the 46th pick, for a 2020 second rounder and cash considerations.
It was an expected move, as the Lakers look set for salary cap difficulties with free-agency nearing. This is all dependant on the route they take. The draft was a perfect opportunity to add further talent to a depleted roster, outside of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kyle Kuzma, on a minimum salary contract.
2019 NBA Draft Grade for the Los Angeles Lakers
The Pick
With the 46th pick, Iowa State guard Talen Horton-Tucker was selected. Horton-Tucker certainly looks like a unique talent. Standing at just 6-foot-4, he possesses a wingspan of 7-foot-1 and weighs 238 pounds. In 35 games at Iowa, he recorded averages of 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. At 18 years old, he is the youngest player to come out of college in this year’s draft. The Los Angeles Lakers draft grade is based solely off of Horton-Tucker, because he was their only selection.
Talen Horton-Tucker Breakdown
Talen Horton-Tucker is a versatile, well-rounded prospect that can use his solid frame to get to the rim, crash the boards, and dish out assists. He covered the four perimeter positions during his short college career. Spending a lot of his time as a floor-spacing power forward. At times, his ball-handling skills and playmaking ability saw him as a perfect fit in the ever-so-modern point-forward position too.
He does struggle on the shooting end, however. A department that, team-wide, the Lakers experienced difficulties with last season. Horton-Tucker converted just 40.6 percent of his shots last season, 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. While this is concerning, there is time for the 18-year-old prospect to develop on the offensive end. It’s the defensive end that is eye-catching, and most likely the reason why he was drafted.
Already, the prospect out of Iowa State should be capable of defensively standing toe-to-toe with the majority of NBA guards. His size should provide the strength for him to hold his own in the professional ranks. Possessing the ability to switch, Horton-Tucker can cover both guard positions, and likely the three. In addition, even with his lack of height, his skill-set of snatching rebounds should transfer over to the NBA pretty easily. Especially as a guard.
Talen Horton-Tucker gives the Lakers a versatile, energetic option off the bench. Given he can build up his core strength and fill out his body in an athletic sense, Horton-Tucker could well be a handful for opponents’ second units. With his awkward size and defensive impact, if he gets even just a fragment of his offensive game to reach its ceiling, he could make an instant impact.
Grade: B
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