Talen Horton-Tucker, despite winning a title at a young age, has some raw skill that the Miami Heat may be interested in. According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, Horton-Tucker possesses enough natural talent to pique the interest of a potential suitor.
“There are still real concerns with his jump shot, but Talen Horton-Tucker is only 23 years old, typically puts up raw numbers whenever given the chance, and has good size (6’4″ with a 7’1″ wingspan) for a primary playmaker,” Bailey said in an article from July 11. “During his two seasons with the Utah Jazz, THT has averaged 10.5 points, 3.6 assists and 1.0 threes in just 20.0 minutes.”
Bailey believes Miami is the best option for him because he is still a work in progress.
“If there’s a team that could develop his raw talent into something more consistent, it may be the Miami Heat.”
The Heat have been responsible for a number of players succeeding above expectations. Players such as Caleb Martin, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent got along well in Miami. The Heat may get Horton-Tucker for cheap, and he could be their next success story.
He won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, however he was not included in their playoff rotation.
Talen Horton-Tucker Named 13th Best Free Agent Horton-Tucker is still a free agent, which may be a problem given the length of the period. In a July 11 story, HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon outlined why they think he’s the 13th best free agent available.
“(He’s) still young, despite it feeling like a lifetime ago when he was breaking out with the Lakers. (He’s) beginning to show some promise as a combination guard scoring type with midrange shooting abilities.”
Horton-Tucker’s youth makes him more enticing because he might still be a work in progress. While they placed him 13th, Bailey ranked him sixth. It is possible that a team will sign him, but not at the same sum that the Jazz did—$22 million over two years.
The Heat lost Martin one offseason after losing Strus and Vincent. They haven’t precisely replaced them with someone who could help. Horton-Tucker spent the previous two seasons with the Jazz, who had no long-term plans for him. He could recoup his worth if the Heat recognize his potential.
Heat Called Offseason Loser
Bailey outlined in a July 10 story why he thought the Heat were offseason losers.
“The Miami Heat, who’ve represented the East in the Finals in two of the five years Jimmy Butler has been there, mostly stood still,” Bailey pointed out. “While the development of Jaime Jaquez Jr. might ultimately make the loss (of Martin) negligible (Jaquez had more wins over replacement player last season), losing talent for nothing is far from ideal.”
Bailey discussed the difficult situation with Jimmy Butler and Miami’s title hopes.
“Add to that the reality that Jimmy Butler will be playing out what could be the final year of his contract with no extension in sight, and it’s easy to worry about this squad splintering.
“Both of its recent Finals runs were unexpected, so Miami may surprise us again, but it doesn’t feel like the Heat are in the contenders’ tier after this offseason.”
Horton-Tucker would not propel the Heat forward, but he may assist strengthen the Heat’s foundation.
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