Wednesday afternoon, the Bulls inked a 24-year-old combo guard from Iowa State University, Talen Horton-Tucker, to a partially guaranteed contract. This is effectively a flyer for Chicago, taking a gamble on a young guard who’s shown flashes of potential in the scoring and pick-and-roll offense departments. With Coby White upgraded to the starting five full-time, the Bulls will be hurting for bench scoring, enter Horton-Tucker. With career averages of nearly ten points per game and over three assists per contest, he can be the sparkplug of a youthful second unit. What does Chicago see in the young guard, and will he replace Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter, or others on his way to seeing the floor?
The good news for Bulls fans is that Horton-Tucker can be a high-level scorer at his peak. Coming off the bench in 192 of his 247 career appearances, he’s no stranger to that role. If Lonzo Ball, Dosunmu, and Carter are all playing to their potential and are healthy, Horton-Tucker’s path to playing time will get much more bleak. With the worst three-point percentage of the bunch and lackluster defensive skills in comparison, it’ll be difficult for the former Cyclone to earn minutes with only his downhill offensive attacking skills and playmaking abilities to boast.
This move also secretly frees the Bulls up to move Zach LaVine, the hottest remaining name on the roster. After several trade rumors over the past two seasons, a request by LaVine’s camp to be moved, and a last-ditch effort to dump the two-time All-Star this summer, he remains on the roster heading into the 2024-25 campaign. If he were to depart in the coming months, Horton-Tucker would likely fill bench minutes from whoever gets the promotion to the starting five.
Whether by intention or coincidence, Horton-Tucker has joined a long list of Chicago natives who have worn red and black in recent memory. Four others are still on the roster, as the newest addition will make five active Bulls players from the Windy City.
Barring a surprise cut or trade, Horton-Tucker will not be on the 12-man roster. If Ball is not healthy enough to begin the year or other injuries plague the season, he could see a promotion to the active roster. However, until a slot opens, he’ll likely represent the Windy City Bulls in the G-League. At 24 years old, he’ll be a candidate to watch for other teams to add, mainly as the season winds down. A young player with 247 games under his belt is a rare find leaguewide.
The G-League squad will now likely headline Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Talen Horton-Tucker. Will Arturas Karnisovas and the front office let them develop professionally if the season turns south? Are these long-term developmental investments or flyer waiver grabs hoping for a career resurgence?
