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Talen Horton-Tucker exercises $11 million player option with Jazz

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated28 Sep 2023

Talen Horton-Tucker exercises $11 million player option with Utah Jazz

Talen Horton-Tucker is picking up his $11 million player option with the Utah Jazz for the 2023-24 season, according to agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. This is part of the three-year, $30.87 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in August 2021.

Horton-Tucker, 22, was selected 46th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Iowa State product was then traded to the Lakers. Last August, L.A. traded the fourth-year guard and Stanley Johnson to the Jazz for Patrick Beverley. Utah also received a trade exception.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Utah Jazz hold 25th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. A few sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs.


Talen Horton-Tucker made 20 starts in 65 appearances of the 2022-23 season. The Illinois native averaged career highs of 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. In addition to logging 20.2 minutes per game, the guard shot 41.9% from the field and 75% at the foul line.

“Very clearly the story of the game is Talen Horton-Tucker,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said after the 6-foot-4 guard posted 37 points and 10 assists in a 119-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Mar. 11.

“I am incredibly hard on Talen; I have been all season. He knows that is because I believe in him, in his talent and his ability. He’s still young. He just turned 22, and he has some real physical gifts that were on display tonight.”

Talen Horton-Tucker picks up $11 million player option with the Utah Jazz for the 2023-24 season ahead of free agency

In Utah’s 128-117 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Mar. 29, Horton-Tucker scored a career-high 41 points in 30 minutes as a starter. Along with notching four boards, five assists, and one steal, he shot 15-of-25 (60%) from the floor and 6-of-11 (54.5%) from 3-point range.

More importantly, Horton-Tucker enjoys playing with the Jazz. “The reps that I’ve been getting here, I hadn’t got those in my career yet. So, being able to get them here, I’ve got to take advantage of it and try to turn it into something.”


Horton-Tucker’s trade value is rising, especially after averaging career-high numbers this past season. However, the Jazz could very well retain the former Laker. Of course, Lauri Markkanen is coming off winning NBA Most Improved Player of the Year, and the rest of the roster is young as well.

“We’re very proud that he’s [Horton-Tucker’s] a part of our program,” Hardy added. “The way that he’s going about this season — from a work standpoint, from a patience standpoint, competing and controlling the things he can control everyday — that’s what we want to be about in Utah. That’s what we want the program to be about, and he embodies that.”

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