The transition Talen Horton-Tucker made last summer from rookie on his first contract to a player on his first real NBA deal is one that comes with many changes, most notably in expectations. A player on a rookie deal like Horton-Tucker has until this season comes with a baseline of expectations that aren’t particularly high. But a deal like the one Horton-Tucker signed last offseason — a contract worth $32 million over three years and that made him the fourth-highest paid Laker — comes with significantly more pressure.
So the benchmarks rose for Horton-Tucker.