Apr 19, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) center Montrezl Harrell (15) guard Ben McLemore (7) and guard Talen Horton-Tucker (5) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Former Lakers $30.7 Million Flameout May Be Forced to Join Surprising Team

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker could find a new home this upcoming season.

More news: Lakers ‘Should’ve Won 10 Championships’ with Kobe and Shaq, Says Former LA Staffer

According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, Horton-Tucker is close to finalizing a deal with EuroLeague champions, Fenerbahce Istanbul.

EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce Istanbul are finalizing a deal with six-year NBA guard Talen Horton-Tucker, per @urbodo

More about it: https://t.co/BWjCSiKGeY pic.twitter.com/EGQxR7Bq8b
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 1, 2025

The 24-year-old and former Lakers guard is likely heading overseas for the first time in his professional basketball career. According to BasketNews, he is down to two options.

The first is that he lands in Istanbul, and the other is that an NBA team comes knocking on his door and signs him to a deal.

While an NBA team can still come calling for Horton-Tucker, all signs point to the former second-round draft pick heading overseas.

More news: LeBron James Predicted to Leave Lakers in Wild Trade Forecast

Although Horton-Tucker was drafted by the Magic with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Iowa State University, he was traded to the Lakers on draft night in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick.

He signed with the Lakers a few weeks later.

Horton-Tucker's first season as a Laker was storybook as he did his part to lead Los Angeles to a title that season. The big-bodied guard spent his first three seasons in Los Angeles. In his tenure, Horton-Tucker averaged 9.3 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 27.6 percent from three in 131 games and 22.1 minutes of action.

Following a very disappointing 2021-22 season for the Lakers, they decided to trade the young guard to the Utah Jazz, along with Stanley Johnson, in exchange for Patrick Beverley. Horton-Tucker spent the next two seasons in Utah before he signed a deal with the Chicago Bulls last September.

In his lone season in Chicago, Horton-Tucker played in 58 games and averaged 6.5 points per game, 1.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.4 steals while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from three in 12.5 minutes of action.

More news: Former Lakers Guard Announces Retirement From Basketball

The Lakers were extremely high on the young guard, but he never really panned out in Los Angeles.

Horton-Tucker has played in 305 games in his NBA career and averaged 9.2 points per game, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 42.7 percent from the field in his career so far.