Over the summer, the Kings thought they had a deal that would have sent Buddy Hield to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell, but the Lakers abruptly pulled out and made a move to acquire Russell Westbrook instead.
The Lakers are reportedly circling back now in hopes of acquiring Hield before the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, but the Kings don’t appear to be interested in what the Lakers are offering this time around.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported on the “Posted Up” podcast that the Lakers have tried to engage the Kings in renewed talks for Hield, but a package built around Talen Horton-Tucker is not good enough for Sacramento.
“League sources have told me the Lakers have reached out to the Kings about a Talen Horton-Tucker package for Hield,” Haynes said. “Still trying to make that happen. Obviously, the Kings are like, ‘No, we feel like there’s more lucrative deals out there.’ The Kings are going to be active. They’ve got a whole bunch of people calling them.”
With little else to offer in trade talks, the Lakers have reportedly been shopping a package consisting of Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and a first-round draft pick, but “no one is biting yet,” according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
Horton-Tucker, 21, is a 6-foot-4, 234-pound guard who came out of Iowa State as the 46th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He has appeared in 33 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 40.3% from the field and 25% from 3-point range. Horton-Tucker and Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton were teammates at Iowa State in 2018-19.
Horton-Tucker is in the first year of a three-year, $30.8 million contract. He is owed $10.26 million in 2022-23 and has a player option for $11 million in 2023-24.
Nunn, 26, is a 6-2, 190-pound point guard who signed with the Miami Heat after going undrafted out of Oakland University in Michigan in 2018. He was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection after averaging 15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 2019-20. He averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season.
Nunn signed with the Lakers in August, but he has yet to appear in a game this season due to a bone bruise in his right knee. He is in the first year of a two-year, $10.25 million contract with a $5.25 million player option for the 2022-23 season.
