At the 2019 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers traded a 2020 second round pick and cash considerations to the Orlando Magic for the No. 46 pick, Talen Horton-Tucker.
Since a second round pick does not have a cap hold, it was an effective way for the Lakers to fill out their roster without it impacting their cap space for free agency on June 30.
In terms of cap space, the Anthony Davis trade is expected to be completed on July 6 where Los Angeles will have between $23.7-$32.5 million to sign free agents.
As for Horton-Tucker trade, the Lakers reportedly purchased the No. 46 pick from the Magic for $2.2 million along with a draft pick, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
The Lakers paid $2.2 million to Orlando last night for the No. 46 pick they used on Talen Horton-Tucker, league sources tell ESPN. The Lakers’ $5.6 million cash considerations budget will be reset on July 1 for 2019-20.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 22, 2019
Since $2.2 million is a fairly standard price for a second round pick, general manager Rob Pelinka detailed why the Lakers made this trade, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“What we liked about Talen is he’s from Chicago — he’s got a grit and grind to him. Just really long and versatile. Strong defender, playmaker. I think he’s going to be a really versatile player because his wingspan is elite. We see him as a guy who can switch, guard multiple players. He’s got a developing three-point shot, too. If he learns to do that, he can be a really, really strong guard in the league.”
While it is unclear if Horton-Tucker will play at the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League, the 18-year-old is certainly an intriguing prospect at 6’4″ with a 7’1″ wingspan.
During the team’s five-year rebuilding process, one major strength was the scouting department’s ability to draft extremely well in the late-first to early-second round.
As the Lakers were successful in trading for a young prospect, all of the attention will be on Pelinka’s ability to properly construct a roster around Davis and LeBron James.
