5 Former Lakers Still Unemployed After Free Agency Week 1
The first week of NBA free agency is in the books and it's safe to say that Los Angeles Lakers fans aren't impressed by their team's performance. The Lakers have been one of the quietest teams this offseason, doing nothing outside of signing their rookie draft picks — an indication that management is more than comfortable with running things back.
With general manager Rob Pelinka essentially taking the summer off, Lakers fans have been left looking for ways to keep themselves entertained. One of the easiest ways of doing so — and a common pastime among sports enthusiasts — is checking in on some of the franchise's former players.
With that in mind, here's a look at five ex-Lakers who are still available following Week 1 of NBA free agency.
1. Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/PG
Talen Horton-Tucker's time with the Lakers left much to be desired, to say the least.
After being drafted 46th overall by the Orlando Magic in 2019, Horton-Tucker was traded to the Lakers that same night for a second-round selection and cash. Unfortunately, the ex-Iowa State product left Los Angeles fans frustrated more often than not during his three-year run.
Although he could do a bit of everything, Horton-Tucker's lack of an effective jump shot prevented him from earning a concrete role with the Lakers. He played 131 games with the team from 2020 to 2022, averaging just 9.3 points on .473/.276/.783 splits while adding 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steals.
The Lakers had seen enough by then, opting to trade Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Pat Beverley in August 2022. The change of scenery didn't help the Chicago native as he's continued to struggle, proven by his averaging 10.1 points while shooting 39.6% from the field and 33.0% from deep across 51 games (11 starts) last season.
Despite being in the league for five seasons, Horton-Tucker doesn't turn 24 until November. He's still young enough to turn his NBA career around, however, he'll have to find the right location to bring out the best that he has to offer.