Does this trade make sense for the Los Angeles Lakers?
If Talen Horton-Tucker wants a big contract and the Los Angeles Lakers are unwilling to give him said contract in free agency this year, then a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic definitely makes sense, but a lot would have to happen in order for this deal to actually occur.
Not only would the Lakers have to sign Horton-Tucker to a new deal of his liking, but he would have to sign off on the fact that he wants to go to Orlando, which is something not many players would say right now! The Magic are not in any shape to become a force anytime soon, which is why THT may very well not want to play for them.
He is a young talent with a very bright future on the right team, which is why going to Orlando may not make much sense for him and his career path. Remaining in Los Angeles on a new contract is definitely what Talen Horton-Tucker wants right now, but as stated before, the Lakers are contending for championships and may not want to be tied down to long-term deals with young talents, which is what they are realizing with Kyle Kuzma right now.
Leveraging Horton-Tucker as “trade bait” makes sense, but I am not sure that getting Mo Bamba is the best thing for the Lakers to do. He is definitely a valuable, young center with potential to grow into a multi-purpose player, but he is going to be in the same situation next year that Talen Horton-Tucker is in now as a restricted free agent!
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If the Lakers are to sign-and-trade THT, he will likely be included in a trade package with other assets like Kuzma and draft picks for another high caliber player. Los Angeles wants to add another All-Star to their roster and they are not going to be able to if they A) give Horton-Tucker a new long-term deal and B) bring in Mo Bamba.
