How Dalton Knecht Can Change Everything for LeBron James and the Lakers

If the rookie continues to pop, Los Angeles could have options to be a contender this season and beyond.

Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Dalton Knecht reacts after scoring a three-pointer. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Throwing away percentages and advanced statistics, there are three types of shooters in the NBA. There are players who can make shots, players who can shoot and shooters. It’s easy to spot the real shooters. The net snaps when the ball swishes through. There’s a different feel in the air when they curl around a screen and a sense of inevitability as their shot arcs toward the hoop. The entire arena buzzes with a near-physical sense of anticipation on hot shooting nights, not just expecting but knowing the next attempt will go in no matter where it’s from.   

In rookie Dalton Knecht, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to have found a shooter. And it’s no exaggeration to say it can change everything for the Lakers, both right now and into the far future. 

Knecht, selected 17th in the 2024 NBA draft, was expected to shoot at a decent clip coming out of Tennessee. Through the opening weeks of the season Knecht was doing just that, entering Tuesday’s game against the Utah Jazz shooting 40.4% from three on 4.4 attempts per game. Good marks, especially for a first-year player, and quite valuable to the shooting-starved Lakers. But nothing to write home about. 

Then Knecht exploded against the Jazz. He scored 37 points and hit nine three-pointers, tying the NBA record for most threes by a rookie in one game. The third quarter was his pièce de résistance, as the 23-year-old wing scored 18 consecutive points in the final 3 1/2 minutes. 

It was electrifying and a tantalizing glimpse of the possibilities that arise for L.A. if Knecht isn’t just a good shooter but the sort of offensive weapon who can wreck a game plan if left unattended. 

His importance to this Lakers roster is transparent. Every team in the NBA wants players on the floor who can hit shots from beyond the arc at a high clip. Knecht’s mere presence opens up the offense and is particularly valuable for LeBron James, who has always played at his best with great shooters at his side. Knecht and James have shared the floor for 201 minutes so far this season and outscored opponents by 20 points, per NBA.com. In general, the Lakers have outscored opponents by 4.4 points in Knecht’s minutes, second-highest on the Lakers behind Anthony Davis. 

Those numbers will muddy as Knecht gets more playing time. Right now, he’s averaging about 20 minutes per game, but it’s worth noting his playing time has been bumped up lately and his performance has only gotten better. Since Nov. 13, Knecht is averaging 33.2 minutes per contest and Los Angeles has outscored its opposition by 9.3 points in those minutes. 

Seeing as it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, we’re clearly working with small sample sizes. Knecht does not solve all the woes of this roster and one 37-point game doesn’t exactly make him the next Splash Brother. But it’s hard to understate just how massive it is for the Lakers to strike gold with a rookie and especially to hit on a player like him.

Knecht shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul earlier this month. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Knecht’s skill set of deadeye shooting, both spotting up and off movement, is the most valuable in the NBA. Everybody wants it and will pay a hefty premium to get it. Knecht carries a cap hit of $3.8 million, a roster-building boon for the Lakers and their pricey talent; Los Angeles ranks sixth in the NBA in payroll for the 2024–25 season. The franchise will enjoy his extremely valuable traits for a pittance, relatively speaking. 

That grants the Lakers flexibility they didn’t previously enjoy, for this season and in the big picture. Knecht’s emergence means they can dangle a player like D’Angelo Russell in trade talks this season without fearing they’ll rob the roster of the only elite shooter in the rotation, as appeared to be the case last year. Or, if the opportunity to take a huge swing at an elite talent presents itself sometime in the next few seasons and Knecht continues this trajectory, he could be included as a legitimately valuable trade piece. 

In recent seasons the Lakers have struggled to develop young talent other teams covet. It made improving the roster around James and Davis very difficult. Los Angeles couldn’t elbow its way into any trade discussions without a decent young player, and each season that passed without a fresh influx of talent made the organization even more inflexible. 

There’s still plenty to prove for the young sharpshooter. It doesn’t matter how many shots Knecht makes if he gets picked on defensively, and the rookie wall looms large down the stretch of the season when the Lakers are expected to be fiercely competing for a playoff spot. 

Knecht’s early breakout could give the Lakers options. It is a significant development—and one that could alter the trajectory of the Lakers not just this season, but beyond.