The Lakers have issued a qualifying offer to Talen Horton-Tucker, allowing him to enter restricted free agency once it begins, the team announced. Los Angeles will have the right to match any offer sheet Horton-Tucker signs with another club.
Horton-Tucker, 20, recently concluded his second season with the Lakers. He held per-game averages of nine points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds, playing 20.1 minutes per contest. He also shot 46% from the floor and just 28% from behind the arc.
In addition to Horton-Tucker, the Lakers will see Dennis Schroder, Andre Drummond, Alex Caruso, Wesley Matthews, Markieff Morris, Jared Dudley and Ben McLemore enter unrestricted free agency. Big man Montrezl Harrell holds a $9.72M player option for next season.
The Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Suns this spring — less than a year removed from winning its first title since 2010. The team dealt with numerous injuries this season, finishing with the seventh-best record in the West at 42-30.
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