The Los Angeles Lakers managed to alleviate their influx of veterans by securing some young talent in Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn.
Horton-Tucker and Nunn find themselves reunited in a sense after they both played at Simeon High School in Chicago. Their respective careers have since mirrored each other in many ways up until now.
Both players made their way through the G League and managed to take advantage of their opportunity with breakout seasons last year. So it should come as no surprise to see that they are already accustomed to putting in the work together.
Horton-Tucker and Nunn even took part in a workout in Miami with NBA skills trainer Ronnie Taylor in November of 2020, via Swish Cultures:
It is safe to say that they each have come a long way since making their way through the ranks at Simeon. Both players will now have a chance to play an integral role on a title contender in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Horton-Tucker and Nunn will be tasked with providing some quality depth in the backcourt behind Russell Westbrook. This group will be supplemented by another young talent in Malik Monk, along with veterans Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore.
Horton-Tucker proved capable of taking on an increased load for this thin group last season. While the Purple and Gold will likely prioritize shooting in the starting lineup, it will come as no surprise if the 20-year-old plays crucial minutes down the stretch.
Nunn is coming off a breakout year of his own after averaging 15.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game with the Miami Heat. He also shot an efficient 45.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc during his time with the Heat.
Although there is plenty of speculation regarding how the rotation will look, it will be interesting to see how the chemistry between Horton-Tucker and Nunn translates on and off the court.