Report: Key Laker Almost Landed with Rival

The Los Angeles Lakers were willing to put veteran guard Dennis Schroder on the trade block but they wouldn’t give up on Talen Horton-Tucker. THT became one of the most valuable players on the Lakers roster. Head coach Frank Vogel really likes his style, and yes, THT is a promising star. LA wasn’t the only team interested in the Laker and he almost ended up signing with their rival.

Tony Jones from The Athletic reported that the Utah Jazz wanted to get Horton-Tucker in the 2019 NBA Draft.

“THT is really good,” he tweeted on April 19. “The Jazz were hoping he would fall to them a few years ago.”

The Lakers were without a selection in that draft and had to create the perfect deal to get the talented player. They traded with the Orlando Magic for the No. 46 pick, seven spots ahead of where the Jazz selected Justin Wright-Foreman.

The promising Laker won’t join another rival; LA wants him

Jones said that Utah tried to trade up to get THT but the efforts went down the hill. They were without a first-round selection and Horton-Tucker ended up with the Lakers. LA and the Jazz have an incredible rivalry this season. Utah is the top seed in the West and the Lakers fell to the fifth seed.

The Lakers tried to offer a deal to the Toronto Raptors to get Kyle Lowry. They didn’t want to trade Horton-Tucker. Jovan Buha and Bill Oran said this was the sticking point in preventing the Lakers from getting the point guard.

“Multiple sources told The Athletic that the Lakers and Raptors discussed a trade that would have sent both members of Los Angeles’ starting backcourt, Dennis Schröder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and likely some draft compensation to Toronto for Lowry,” Buha and Oram detailed the day following the trade deadline. “Throughout Thursday morning, sources said, the sticking point was the inclusion of Talen Horton-Tucker. The same sources said that, Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations, insisted that price was too high for the 35-year-old Lowry, and that he was not willing to trade Horton-Tucker, the 20-year-old combo guard who has emerged as a valuable rotation player for the Lakers in his second season.”

“Talen Horton-Tucker after hearing his name in trade rumors and reportedly being untouchable in a potential Kyle Lowry trade: ‘I’m just appreciative of still being here,’” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said on Twitter on March 26.