It's been nearly a month since the NBA free agent market opened, but Horton · Tucker still hasn't found a home. Not even a single quote was received.
If you want to say that the highlight of Tucker Jr.'s career so far has to be the victory in the battle with Caruso.
In the summer of '21, both Tucker Jr. and Caruso's contracts expired, but the Lakers first did not maintain their immediate ability to keep both of them, and then chose Tucker Jr. among two options. When Caruso gradually grew into the league's top 3D, I don't know how Jeanne · Bass and Pelinka felt.
In the 23-24 season with the Utah Jazz, Tucker Jr. averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 19.8 minutes per game.
With an average of 10+2+4 per game, it stands to reason that you shouldn't not get a contract. You must know that the 39-year-old · Gibson also received a one-year, 3.3 million base salary contract from the Hornets this summer.
Using Gibson as a reference, there must be a deeper meaning behind Tucker's lack of interest. I think this manifests itself in two ways.
Aspect 1: Offensive end.
In the 23-24 season, Tucker averaged 9.1 shots per game. According to the distance of the defender, it can be divided as follows:
(1) Defenders are within 2 feet of each other, accounting for 10%, and shooting 41.3%;
(2) Defenders are within 2-4 feet of each other, accounting for 34.9%, and shooting 44.7%;
(3) Defenders are within 4-6 feet, accounting for 27.8%, and shooting 35.9%;
(4) Defenders were 6 feet away, accounting for 27.3 percent and shooting 36.5 percent from the field.
55.1 percent of his shots came from an open pitch at least four feet away, but Tucker shot less than 37 percent from the field.
The open space is almost one-on-one between the player and the basket, and the inefficiency can only indicate that there is no hard work in the offseason. In fact, Tucker shot 38.3 percent from the field in '22-23 when he was in an open position above 6 feet.
Good guys, open shots are still in regression.
Aspect 2: Defensively.
In the '23-24 season, Tucker averaged 8.0 shots per game, but only 2.7 interference shots. To do a simple calculation, it is an interference with the opponent's shot every 3 times. As a result, opponents shot from 46.3 percent to 49.8 percent under Tucker's defense.
In the '22-23 season, Tucker averaged 3.5 interference shots per game and 4.1 in the '21-22 season.
It can be seen that Tucker's interference with opponents' shots is lower season after season. In other words, the defensive end is getting lazier and lazier season after season.
To sum up the offensive and defensive ends, we can summarize as follows:
First, Tucker's open shot percentage is in regression;
Second, Tucker was lazy on the defensive end.
The first point shows that he is unwilling to work hard in the offseason to polish his skills, and the second point shows that there is a problem with the basketball attitude. Relatively speaking, it is also very easy to solve - willing to endure hardships and mobilize defensive enthusiasm.
Again, take Caruso as an example.
As a failed draft, basketball talent must not be high, otherwise it will not be lost. But to become the league's top 3D step by step, it depends on a hard work that is willing to endure hardships.
On the other hand, Tucker's basketball talent is inevitably higher than Caruso's, but no one cares more about his attitude towards basketball. To put it bluntly, the management of the respective NBA teams is not stupid - the problems displayed on the court are basically to the point.
In the end, as a player who came out of the Lakers, Tucker Jr.'s failure came more from himself.