The Chicago Bulls bolstered their backcourt by signing free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker to a partially guaranteed contract, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
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The 23-year-old guard, who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 campaign, made 51 appearances (11 starts) for the Utah Jazz last season, averaging 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 19.8 minutes per contest. He played behind Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, Ochai Agbaji, Simone Fontecchio, and Jordan Clarkson.
The Utah Jazz renounced their free agent rights to Talen Horton-Tucker last month to create cap space for Lauri Markkanen’s new extension. Before joining the Chicago Bulls, it was reported that the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets were interested in signing him, but to no avail.
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With 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts, Talen Horton-Tucker, a Chicago native, will have the chance to earn a roster spot with the Chicago Bulls. Overall, signing a young talent in Horton-Tucker is a low-risk move for the team as it slowly enters its rebuilding phase.
Where does Talen Horton-Tucker fit in with the Chicago Bulls?
As things stand, Talen Horton-Tucker will play behind Josh Giddey, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Zach LaVine, given his inefficiency from the field.
Shooting has been a persistent problem for the former Iowa State standout, as he is a career 42.3 percent shooter from the field and 29.3 percent from three-point land.
Over his five NBA seasons, Talen Horton-Tucker’s effective field goal percentage has never ranked above the 40th percentile among combo guards, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Perhaps the only way he’ll get more minutes is if Zach LaVine gets injured again or traded, or if he significantly improves his three-point shot this upcoming season.
