NBA champion Talen Horton-Tucker has opted into his $11 million player option with the Utah Jazz for next season, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group represents the small forward.
Horton-Tucker would have become an unrestricted free agent on June 30 had he declined his 2023-24 player option.
Horton-Tucker averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Jazz this past season in 65 games. The Chicago native shot 41.9% from the field, 28.6% from beyond the arc and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
The Jazz acquired Horton-Tucker from the Los Angeles Lakers last summer. The 22-year-old signed a three-year, $30.9 million contract with the Lakers in August 2021. THT has career averages of 9.8 points, 3.0 boards and 3.0 assists with the Jazz and Lakers in 196 games.
Utah won 37 games this past season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were traded last summer, so most people expected the Jazz to miss the 2023 postseason despite starting off the season hot.
The Jazz have already made a big move this offseason, acquiring power forward John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks. Utah now has Collins, All-Star Lauri Markkanen and rising star Walker Kessler in the frontcourt. The trade between the Hawks and Jazz won’t become official until July 6.
The 25-year-old Collins averaged 13.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists this past season for the Hawks while shooting 50.8% from the field, 29.2% from beyond the arc and 80.3% from the free-throw line. Atlanta signed Collins to a five-year, $125 million contract in August 2021.
Collins has career averages of 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists with the Hawks in 364 games. He was the 19th overall pick in the 2017 draft. The Wake Forest product was born in Layton, Utah.
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