Former Jazzman Talen Horton-Tucker signs partially guaranteed contract with new team
By Matt John
Talen Horton-Tucker has a rather uneventful tenure with the Utah Jazz. However, given his youth and his championship experience, he deserved another flyer and he got just that.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported via his X account that Horton-Tucker has signed a partially guaranteed contract with the Bulls.
Free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic. The Chicago native returns home and will have an opportunity to make Bulls roster after averaging 10.5 points over the last two seasons in Utah. pic.twitter.com/YPoIfrurh7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 4, 2024
Horton-Tucker was among several former Jazz players who remained free agents throughout the offseason before the Bulls signed him. His departure doesn't really surprise anyone given that the Jazz phased him out of the rotation.
He can score, but not at an efficient level. His title experience could prove useful to a team that is trying to win. It was clear though his experience as a winner didn't benefit the Jazz much.
Horton-Tucker's tenure with the Jazz
The Jazz originally acquired Horton-Tucker from the Lakers in exchange for Patrick Beverley in 2022, who they had no intention to keep after acquired him for Rudy Gobert.
Though he didn't accomplish much with the Jazz, they gave him a fair shot over the last two seasons. Horton-Tucker was featured in their rotation quite a bit during his two seasons in Utah. However, his play was not good enough that some believed that the Jazz were better off without him.
Over time, his role on the team shrunk, and it was clear that Utah did not see much of a future with him.
There hadn't been much buzz surrounding the Jazz potentially bringing Horton-Tucker back, and this simply confirms that he was not in their long-term plans. Despite being only 23 and having a title to his name, Horton-Tucker didn't fit with Utah.
So, with him gone once and for all, it further asserts that the Jazz will likely turn to their youth movement to replace his production. They will get a better look at who could be a long-term fixture and who could be expendable sometime down the line.
All of that said, Horton-Tucker earnestly tried in Utah. Since the Jazz didn't have lofty expectations, no one should have anything against him. If anything, fans should wish him the best of luck in his next chapter in Chicago.