On March 29, Beijing time, after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Pelicans yesterday, they lost a very critical card battle, thus losing the initiative in the playoff competition. Before the trade deadline, the Lakers management has been actively preparing for the operation, of which Horton Tucker has always been the player that the team hopes to trade, but in the end it has not been able to reach a deal.
An executive of a Western conference team recently revealed why Tucker has not been asked by other teams after being put on the shelves by the Lakers.
"He (Tucker) will probably be able to really play out in the next 4-5 years, not now. If we trade him into the team and then don't get the effect we want, then he jumps out of his contract in 2023 to become an unrestricted free agent, and we won't be able to control his contract. The executive said.
Tucker's positive performance last season allowed Lakers management to leave the youngster behind when they chose to trade in the offseason. But this season Tucker exposed his weakness in long-range shooting, averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, gradually falling from the starting position to the rotation, and was often criticized by other teammates on the court.