Lakers Rookie Bounces Back with Career High

Rookie Dalton Knecht saw one of his best games in purple and gold Wednesday.

Oct 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After a string of down performances, Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht bounced back Wednesday night with his best performance yet donning the timeless purple and gold.

In 31 minutes for the Lakers, Knecht scored a bench-high 19 points on near-perfect 7-for-8 shooting, bombing five triples in total and adding three assists, two steals and two rebounds. He finished shooting 100% from beyond the arc on the night.

In the second half, Knecht near single-handedly shifted the favor of the game in Los Angeles’ favor, hitting a flurry of triples and even play-making for others.

His performance was much-needed in helping the Lakers coast to a second-half beatdown of its Western Conference rival Memphis Grizzlies. Knecht finished as a +16 plus-minus in the victory.

Coming into the rematch against the Grizzlies, Knecht was averaging 6.1 points on 39% shooting through 10 games. He had played just 16.9 minutes per contest on average, adding 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

There’s no question Knecht will eventually find his rhythm and become a longtime NBA starter with his lengthy frame, shooting and athleticism. The only question remaining is when it will happen for the Lakers, who desperately need another impactful piece off the bench to make a run with LeBron James and Anthony Davis aging.

He’s seen a flurry of double-digit scoring games this season, but has yet to find consistency on a game-to-game or even shot-to-shot basis thus far. He was a career 38% shooter from range on good volume with clean mechanics, meaning he’ll likely find it soon enough.

Drafted at No. 17 in the 2024 NBA Draft, it’s clear the Lakers have gotten a bona fide NBA contributor in the draft’s biggest slider of night one.

The Lakers are back in action San Antonio on Friday, Nov. 15, coming off a Victor Wembanyama 50-bomb.

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