It can be tough to look at a player and admit when it is time to move on. In all fairness, that goes for many aspects of life, extending far past the basketball court.
The Los Angeles Lakers have nailed that timing down a few times in their history, identifying when those talents that were just not worth investing the effort into anymore. Their experiences have proven that giving up is not always without its merit.
Talen Horton-Tucker
It feels like a lifetime ago that Talen Horton-Tucker was the media darling of Los Angeles. The Lakers guard was once thought to have sky-high potential. In 2025, Horton-Tucker is sitting in free agency unsigned and hoping retirement is not around the corner.
The Lakers bench guard showed promise during his time wearing purple and gold, averaging 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steal in 22.1 minutes per game. However, it has been clear since the front office chose to move on that his potential was never really what it was made out to be.
Horton-Tucker failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity with the Utah Jazz, showcasing that his efficiency will just never get to where it truly needs to be for an NBA player. The limited impact, apart from his scoring punch, does him no favors either.
Now, the myth of Horton-Tucker has been reduced to the status of water cooler talk in Los Angeles. Most Lakers fans will wish Rob Pelinka had pulled the plug sooner too, so Alex Caruso would still be wearing purple and gold.
Lamar Odom
This one was awkward. Lamar Odom was originally included into the deal that was supposed to secure the arrival of a prime Chris Paul. That trade was vetoed by the NBA.
Odom was coming off a 2010-11 season in which the versatile forward won the Sixth Man of the Year trophy. However, the concern about the bridge being burned with the two-time NBA champion was too large to ignore.
The Lakers turned around and dealt Odom to the Dallas Mavericks instead. The following seasons showcased his time as an effective role player in the league were over.
"That trade from the Lakers basically ended my career and purpose," Odom said in an old interview with Shams Charania. "I was never really myself ever again. Being in L.A., the structure, the people I knew, it hurt leaving."
The argument can certainly be made that had Odom stayed with the Lakers, there would have been more good production to come. However, the circumstances of the Paul trade dealt a tough blow, one the front office clearly felt there was no coming back from.
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball was a second overall pick, a promising young guard, and a player that will sometimes still finds his way into mock trades that involve a reunion with the Lakers. Ball was also a necessary casualty for an NBA championship.
The 2017 lottery pick was dealt away from the Lakers in the deal that paired Anthony Davis up with LeBron James in Hollywood. That decision immediately led to a title in the following season.
Ball, meanwhile, showed promise of growing into a quality starter and supporting act. However, injuries plagued him throughout his career and eventually halted it altogether for a few years.
The oversized point guard never quite lived up to the expectations of being a highly-touted draft prospect. The Lakers got banner 17, and managed to pivot Davis into securing an actual superstar point guard in Luka Doncic. This one clearly worked out in Los Angeles' favor.
