Dalton Knecht Making An Impact On The Lakers' Starting Lineup

The No. 17 overall pick is already a key contributor for the Lakers.

Nov 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) brings the ball up court against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Older players often slip on draft night due to perceptions that their upside pales in comparison to their younger counterparts.

While this is the case on many occasions, there is value in older, better rookies. They enter the league with greater readiness, able to make a bigger impact while making the affordable cap hit of a rookie contract. Los Angeles Lakers’ rookie Dalton Knecht embodies this dynamic to a tee, already making an impact on their starting lineup.

With Rui Hachimura sidelined for an ankle injury, Knecht stepped into a wing position in Los Angeles’ first five. Head Coach JJ Redick has shifted his vision for this lineup, opting for a pair of versatile wings alongside the Lakers’ core three of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. Knehct’s shooting excellence, seasoned spot-up scoring, positional size, and off-ball smarts make for a clean fit next to the squad’s stars.

Knecht showcased this skill-set throughout his 14-point showing against the San Antonio Spurs, and even more so the next night in his latest start against the New Orleans Pelicans. In this one, the 17th overall pick recorded a lofty 27 points, nailing five of his ten attempts from beyond the arc. These conversions all came off the catch, both in the half-court and in transition. The Pelicans’ defense left him with some space to show light help on Knecht’s teammates, and he made their defense pay in a big way. He’s quickly establishing himself as a shooter that defenses shouldn’t dare to help off of in any regard. 

Beyond shooting, Knecht made an impact with his transition hustle, earning easy finishes through running hard on the break. This impressive off-ball movement also showed through in the half-court, where the 6-foot-5 210-lb wing finished cuts with thunderous dunks. Knecht also grabbed seven boards and nabbed two steals defensively.

With just three NBA starts under his belt, the best is yet to come for Knecht. 

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