OKC Thunder: “Pass or Pursue” on 3 recently linked free-agent targets
By Mark Nilon
OKC Thunder No. 2) Talen Horton-Tucker
The always improving Talen Horton-Tucker finds himself slotted in on Swartz’s list of potential OKC Thunder free agent targets and we here at TI are intrigued by the idea of such an inclusion.
Throughout his sophomore season, the two-guard has made the most of his nearly six minutes-per-game increase in comparison to his 2019-20 campaign, posting averages of nine points and 2.8 rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor.
At just 20-years-old, THT is proving to be a quality scoring option for the defending champions, Los Angeles Lakers, and, during their injury-ravaged month of April where they have found themselves without Anthony Davis and LeBron James, he has been bestowed a larger role within the offense where he is putting up 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 37 percent shooting from deep.
Swartz’s thought process about why the second-year guard could be a quality target for Oklahoma City seems to be heavily influenced by the fact that he’s a solid scoring threat and is still so young, both aspects, of course, fitting the mold that the franchise is trying to build upon.
However, being that he’s a restricted free agent (like all of the players mentioned on this list), coupled with the fact that the Lakers are seemingly infatuated with the youthful prospect, the only real shot the Thunder have at landing Horten-Tucker this offseason is by the means of shelling out a boat-load of money in his direction and, in our eyes, this doesn’t seem responsible.
OKC already has a few quality guards in place in SGA, Luguentz Dort, and rookie Theo Maledon and could also wind up adding yet another via the upcoming draft at a much lower cost than what it would take to sign THT.
The team has plenty of other holes to fill on their roster, and the money it would cost to bring on the relatively un-proven two-guard, Horton-Tucker, would best be spent elsewhere.