Ex-Lakers Failed Project Signs Overseas After Disappointing Season
A lot of players who play for the Los Angeles Lakers end up getting overhyped after they show promising signs earlier in their careers. That’s because the Lakers constantly have so many eyeballs watching them.
Talen Horton-Tucker was one of the recent examples of a young player who skyrocketed to stardom after impressing Lakers fans. This led to him getting a three-year, $30 million contract with the team, which forced them to let Alex Caruso walk in free agency.
That was a huge mistake in hindsight, as Caruso was a key piece for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent championship run, while Horton-Tucker is now out of the league. According to BasketNews, Horton-Tucker is signing a deal with Fenerbahce Istanbul of the EuroLeague.
The guard is only 24, but is coming off a season where he only averaged 6.5 points a game with the Chicago Bulls. He likely still wants to play in the NBA, but with no teams eager to sign him right now, he’s going to play overseas for now.
Fenerbahce Istanbul is one of the top teams in the EuroLeague and is fresh off a championship run. Though Horton-Tucker will need to earn a spot in the rotation, he could help his NBA chances if he plays well.
Lakers Brass Was Recently in Europe to Support Luka Doncic
Though the EuroLeague season is over for now, EuroBasket is underway. Lakers star Luka Doncic has been leading his Slovenian squad, and this is his first time representing Los Angeles overseas.
Recently, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and team governor Jeanie Buss took a trip to Europe to support the star guard. Pleinka explained why it was important for them to show up.
“We just wanted to make a statement to Luka that we support what he does for his country. That’s really important to the Lakers when we have a player that’s the face of our franchise, just to show that support for him,” Pelinka said, per The Athletic. “And it’s just great to see him with his teammates, interacting, having fun. As you said, he is in great shape, really committed to working hard this summer, and to be able to watch that in person was worth flying over the ocean to come be with him.”
However, Pelinka made it clear they didn’t want to cause a distraction.
“We want to let him focus and dedicate to this tournament, EuroBasket, and not distract him in any way,” Pelinka said. “We want him to a hundred percent be able to play for his country with pride, and he’ll turn his attention to the Lakers as soon as this tournament ends, hopefully with them going far and maybe winning.”
Doncic Appreciative of Support
The Lakers already got Doncic to sign a contract extension this offseason, so they didn’t need to make a trip to Europe to convince him that they care about him. Regardless, he’s appreciative to see the Lakers’ leadership show up to support him.
“It means a lot,” Doncic said. “It’s a long flight. I think it’s like 11, 12 hours, so it means a lot for them just to be here to support me.”
AFC Notes: J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Broncos, Chargers
Broncos
Bo Nix is entering the second year of his career after his breakout rookie campaign in 2024. Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning is confident Nix is “made of the right stuff” to continue being a highly successful quarterback.
“Bo is made of the right stuff. He’s a little bit older, carries himself the right way. And all of it should help as he moves forward in his career,” Manning said, via Troy Renck of the Denver Post. “I am just happy that Bo is the established starter. For a number of years, they had quarterback competitions. That’s hard on the receivers, the coaches, the play-caller, and the quarterback. Now, they’ve got their guy.”
Manning thinks Nix showed talent beyond his years as a rookie.
“I just don’t see that as being a big factor for him. Rookie quarterbacks are supposed to struggle, and then the game slows down. But, it sure looked like it slowed down a lot for him last year,” Manning said. “Like with C.J. Stroud, Bo didn’t play like a rookie. … I believe experience is the best teacher, and he got great experience last year.”
Manning added that playing under Sean Payton for a second season should be beneficial for Nix.
“The continuity, more than anything else. There are times when guys go into their second year, and they are going on their third coordinator,” Manning said. “He has an experienced head coach in Sean, who is his play-caller. Having that same voice and verbiage is so critical. We expect Sean to be here for a long time, so Bo will use that to his advantage.”
Broncos
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins had a resurgence in his career after missing 2022 with a knee injury and 2023 with a torn Achilles. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said he grew a close relationship with Dobbins and praised him for his perseverance.
“I can’t say enough about him,” ElAttrache said, via Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “I mean, he’s the kind of guy that I would like to have as a friend forever. He’s that kind of person.”
ElAttrache pointed out that damaged ligaments can never return to their previous health, but Dobbins has worked hard on his rehab.
“You never want to expect they’re going to be 22 years old again,” ElAttrache said. “You can’t turn back the clock and go before, when he was that number one (running back) for the Ravens. But, having said that, his performance was still right there.”
Chargers
Chargers DC Jesse Minter still holds on to rejection letters from graduate assistant jobs that he applied to across the country, accumulating 98 in total. Minter said the rejections are a reminder to be grateful for where he is now.
“Because that’s just how I operate,” Minter said, via Daniel Popper of The Athletic. “It’s just that reminder of the joy that it is, the blessing that it is, the opportunity that you have, not to take it for granted and not to ever feel like you’ve arrived.”
Minter said he’s always tried to operate without an ego and build a culture of letting people know their value.
“A lot of coaches have crazy egos, and I think there’s a difference in being confident in yourself and sure of yourself, and then having an ego,” Minter said. “I’ve always tried really, really hard to not have an ego, to really try to build a situation where everybody feels like they have value, where everybody feels like they’re part of the success.”
- Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Chargers RB Najee Harris participated in three-straight practices last week and was cleared for contact on Friday.
