With some key players out, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick gave second-year guard Dalton Knecht a start in Sunday night’s preseason game against the Golden State Warriors.
Knecht struggled in Summer League and didn’t look much better in the Lakers’ first two preseason games. He got back on track in the win over the Warriors though, finishing with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes while shooting 4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-5 from deep and 6-for-8 from the free throw line.
After the game, Redick revealed that Knecht earned the start by being the Lakers’ best offensive player in practice, although he also stressed that improving defensively will be the key for the 24-year-old.
“I thought he let the game come to him offensively. Did some nice things in transition, got to the free throw line,” Redick said of Knecht. “Again, his sort of ceiling is gonna be based on his improvement this season as a defender. He’s a big-time threat and a big-time player and he’s made improvements. But that’s ultimately gonna be what the ceiling is for him. He’s had, offensively, the best of any person on our team in camp. We tracked everything, the first three-day segment he shot 16-of-27 from the field and 12-of-20 from 3 and the second three-day segment he shot 16-of-27 from the field and 12-of-20 from 3. He’s literally the leading scorer in live play by like 42 points.
“So he earned the opportunity tonight to get a look with him in the starting lineup and our conversations all summer and all preseason, this is a year of development for him, of growth. What that looks like, it’s gotta be incremental. And he’s bought into that, which is great.”
The Lakers can use a scoring punch off the bench, especially with LeBron James expected to miss time to begin the season, so it makes sense to give Knecht the opportunity to earn a rotation role.
Redick is right though in saying that Knecht’s defensive improvements, or lack thereof, will determine just how big of a role he earns. In the meantime, it was nice to see him get back on track offensively as Knecht’s ability to score in bunches will be needed on this roster.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves avoided injury
In the third quarter of the Lakers’ win over the Warriors, Austin Reaves appeared to injure his leg and came out of the game. Luckily though, he avoided injury as Reaves said he was feeling good when he spoke to the media after the win.
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