Dalton Knecht was a surprise pick for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024 NBA Draft as he was touted as a sure-fire lottery pick before falling down the board to No. 17.
The Lakers were in a fortunate spot to pick Knecht, who slipped due to concerns over his age and defensive limitations. However, Knecht entered the draft as one of the best three-level scorers in his class with an outside shot that fits the modern NBA.
It was a rollercoaster season for Knecht as he showed flashes of his explosive scoring but wound up being dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Mark Williams at the deadline. Knecht seemed set on a fresh start with a rebuilding team like Charlotte, but Los Angeles wound up rescinding the deal and forcing Knecht to return.
Following their exit from the playoffs, Knecht reflected on his rookie year and admitted that it was a lot for him to process.
“Anything can happen,” Knecht said of what his first season taught him. “Got traded, came back. Just lucky I got good vets around me. Started with AD, DLo and all those guys, Bron, and obviously Vando and AR throughout the whole year, then Keef. So I had a lot of good vets in my corner to just learn from them as much as I could. Yeah, crazy year.”
Knecht also expanded on what he learned and emphasized the recovery aspect after watching LeBron James.
“I’d say probably just recovering my body, the most. I watched [LeBron James] all the time, watching him come in after his workouts, even before. How he recovers and preps,” Knecht said.
Knecht went through more than a usual rookie does, especially following the trade deadline. Knecht saw his minutes shrink as the Lakers tried to secure postseason seeding, but still had opportunities down the stretch to show what he can do.
However, the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves highlighted how small the overall roster was and changes are surely coming this summer. Because of their situation, the only meaningful way to improve the roster is through trade and Knecht figures to be a central piece in any deal.
If Knecht stays in the organization, he could develop into a solid rotation piece though Los Angeles has more pressing needs it may address in the coming months.
JJ Redick thought Dalton Knecht could help Lakers win multiple playoff games
Head coach JJ Redick had nothing but praise for Dalton Knecth throughout the regular season and even expressed his belief that the rookie could help the Lakers win multiple playoff games at some point.
Unfortunately, he never got that chance as Knecht’s only playoff minutes came in garbage time.
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