“Dalton Knecht, to me, I told him this the other day, he is in the 1% of shooters,” JJ Redick stated on Zach Lowe’s podcast last month. The Lakers’ head coach divulged, “He’s going to have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation.”
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Knecht seems to have taken notice of Redick’s comments, as he has been lighting it up during the pre-season. His sharpshooting is the key reason the Lakers drafted him as the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and his performances in the summer league and the preseason justified this. However, his performance during the Lakers’ overtime win over Phoenix last night suggests that he probably should have been a lottery selection.
Dalton Knecht tallied 35 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 8 three-pointers, especially coming alive down the stretch. 25 of Knecht’s points came after the first three quarters, as he scored 20 of the Lakers’ final 22 points and a game-tying shot at the end of the fourth. In overtime, Dalton also accounted for 13 of LA’s 15 points and picked up a clutch block to seal the game.
The biggest reason the sharpshooting 23-year-old slid down in the draft was his age – every player drafted ahead was younger than him. Knecht played three seasons of college basketball, two with the Northern Colorado Bears and one with the Tennessee Volunteers, explaining his age.
Though his longer college tenure dissuaded teams from selecting him early in the draft, his experience has also made him such a confident scorer so far. The First-Team All-American is now on the radar of NBA fans, as many believe that he can be a real difference-maker alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Even though Knecht has impressed fans and teammates alike, his spot in the Lakers’ rotation isn’t fixed yet. Here are two ways we feel the rookie can make a case for himself, leaving JJ Redick no choice but to give him minutes.
Dalton Knecht is an excellent shooter
Standing at 6’6, Knecht has good size to play as a shooting guard or small forward for the Purple and Gold. His shot mechanics are excellent and a high release point allows him to consistently punish poor closeouts and shoot over the top of the defense.
This is the exact build that the Lakers needed in their roster as they were bottom three in attempts from beyond the arc last season. Knecht can immediately contribute in that area as he converted 39.7% of his 6.5 three-point field goal attempts during his final year of college basketball.
He passes the eye test too, regularly making uncomfortable shots look easy. During his collegiate season, he recorded 21.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, winning SEC Player of the Year honors. Knecht took the Volunteers to their deepest tournament run in 14 years, leading them to the Elite Eight and tallying the third-most points during March Madness, averaging 26 points per game.
So far, his game has translated well in the Lakers system. Knecht has earned his 27 minutes per game by averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists during the Lakers’ five pre-season matchups. He has also proved to the NBA why JJ Redick considers him a top 1% shooter by gathering 60% of his points from beyond the arc. Knecht has been an elite off-ball threat as well, with 77.8% of his three-pointers coming off of assists.
The ability to let it fly off the catch can make him the perfect pairing for LeBron, who is a proficient drive-and-kick creator. He won’t require much of the ball to get his shot off, and if he can effectively draw defenders with his scoring threat, Knecht will also help generate more space for James and AD to create their own looks.
JJ Redick has touched on how The Brow will have more playmaking responsibilities this season, making Knecht an ideal candidate to screen for him, forcing his matchup – likely a guard or wing – to try and contain Davis. As the second screener in Spain pick-and-rolls, Knecht can also benefit from LeBron and AD’s gravity, finding open looks above the break.
While the potential for a great fit exists, Knecht needs to create value on both sides of the ball to earn consistent minutes during his first season in the NBA.
Knecht needs to prove his worth as a defender
As a shooter, Knecht has displayed a great motor during the pre-season, running into open spaces intuitively and frequently shooting off flare screens and dribble hand-offs. But even with his 6’6 and 213 lbs frame, Dalton Knecht remains an exploitable defender.
At 23 years old, his body is unlikely to develop drastically and his physical tools are somewhat limited on the defensive end. He isn’t quite strong enough for burlier wings like Jimmy Butler and his foot speed also lacks in comparison to shiftier guards like Colby White.
During the pre-season, there have been several instances where his closeouts have led to open shots at the rim as Knecht doesn’t have the best lateral quickness or footwork on that end of the floor. This will certainly affect his minutes during the regular season as he is a less-than-ideal backcourt partner alongside D’Angelo Russell, who is prone to his own defensive lapses.
If the rookie can show improvement as a ball-stopper, he will undoubtedly earn big minutes on the roster. However, without that facet of the game, he is at risk of warming the bench for the Lakers’ biggest matchups.
JJ Redick has already conveyed his intentions of playing a 9-man rotation this season, of which at least 6 spots are confirmed. D-Lo, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura will be starting alongside James and Davis. Furthermore, Jarred Vanderbilt will undoubtedly play big minutes off the bench, leaving very little room for error if Knecht wants to play consistent minutes this season.
He will be competing with Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, and Cam Reddish for the final spots on the lineup. Even undrafted guard Quincy Olivari might throw his hat in the ring, as he shot over 40% of his threes during the 2023-24 NCAA season.
Of course, Knecht has already proven the value he can bring on offense. Even if he has a net-neutral impact on defense, that should be enough for the 23-year-old to avoid the G League. But it can’t be discounted that Knecht might not receive as much playing time as fans are currently expecting. With less than a week till the regular season tips off, Lakers fans are eager to see what their 9-man rotation will look like against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, October 22nd.
