The attempted trade of Dalton Knecht for center Mark Williams broke down after Williams failed a physical, leading to Knecht’s return. Knecht dealt with an awkward situation with great maturity and is happy to be back under the wing of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
The Lakers are still seen as having a chance at this season’s NBA Championship title by the top-rated sportsbook online, although not very strong. Most betting sites place them at +1400, with the current favored teams being the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the meantime, the Lakers will concentrate on one game at a time, and Knecht will work on developing his game to help his side in their Western Conference battle. Most recently, the 6ft 6″ small forward and shooting guard featured in the All-Star Rising Stars Challenge.
About Dalton Knecht
Born in 2001 in Fargo, North Dakota, the 23-year-old’s basketball career began at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado, where he played between 2019 and 2021. A transfer to Northern Colorado followed in 2021 before he played his final year with Tennessee in the 2023/24 season.
Knecht averaged a 0.458 field goal average, 0.397 3-point average, and 0.772 free throw percentage from his 36 games. He also recorded an average of 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 21.7 points per game at Tennessee, where he was named the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Newcomer of the Year.
Knecht was picked up in the 2024 draft by the Lakers as the 17th overall pick and has made 48 appearances, 12 of which he started, averaging 9.4 points per game.
Rising Stars Challenge
His appearance at the Chase Center in the Rising Stars Challenge playing for Team Chris (Mullin). His team won two matches, beating Team Tim (Hardaway Sr.) in a first-to-40 tie. The final was played as a first-to-25 tie, and Knecht’s team quickly dispatched Team G League by 25 points to 14. Knecht’s solid performance of 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists was key to his team’s success. The Rising Stars will now face former Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal’s OG squad, which will feature veterans of the game, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and James Harden.
After the All-Star outing, Knecht will have the opportunity to learn his trade from LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who is in pole position to become the NBA’s leading man. His great movement, ability to capitalize at all three levels, and great attitude are all attributes that should set Dalton Knecht in good stead for his future. Despite missing out on Mark Williams, there is a definite silver lining to the sharpshooter’s return to the Crypto.com Arena.
