Why Lakers Guard Dalton Knecht is Making a Case For Rookie of the Year

The rookie swingman has emerged as one of the best players in this season's crop.

Nov 19, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) moves to the basket agianst Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 2024 NBA Draft's rookie class was always expected to be full of intriguing role players and light on top-tier talent.

Several rookies drafted beyond the lottery have emerged as potentially being the cream of the crop — including, as luck would have it, a certain 6-foot-6 former University of Tennessee All-American.

Los Angeles Lakers rookie shooting guard Dalton Knecht is already looking like one of the best players in a wonky draft class. He has flashed surprising athleticism (he can get to the rim and slam it home with ease) while also showcasing an elite shooting touch and a knack for getting open off screens and cuts.

Following his 37-point career-best outburst against the Utah Jazz in a 124-118 Lakers win Tuesday night (he set a new NBA rookie record of nine made triples — on 11 attempts — in that game), Knecht saw himself become the second-favorite to win the coveted Rookie of the Year award, behind only Philadelphia 76ers standout Jared McCain. His opening night odds for the honor hovered around +1800. Now, they're at +225.

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Selected with the No. 17 overall pick in June, Knecht has already become perhaps his team's sixth-best player, behind only starters LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, plus reserve guard D'Angelo Russell. He could lap Hachimura and Russell decisively if he keeps up his recent play over the next couple months, too.

Knecht and head coach JJ Redick are the big changes to this year's Lakers squad, which otherwise is pretty much the same as the 2023-24 model. A fairly healthy James and Davis guided L.A. to a 47-35 record and the Western Conference's eighth-best record. Los Angeles leapfrogged the New Orleans Pelicans in their play-in game and secured the No. 7 seed.

Those two additions have affected something of a sea change so far. Los Angeles is off to a gangbusters 10-4 start, and currently occupies the No. 3 seed in a crowded conference.

Knecht has been so impactful that he's already got James thinking he may have been worthy of the No. 1 overall pick — which was used by the Atlanta Hawks on forward Zaccharie Risacher. Knecht had been seen as a lottery-level prospect, but fell because of his advanced age relative to the other rookies (he's 23, while most were 19-20 at the time of their selection).

Read More: Lakers LeBron James on Dalton Knecht Performance '16 Teams F----- Up'

Knecht is now effectively on an absolute steal of a $3.8 million rookie-scale contract this season, even though he's playing like a slightly pre- or post-prime Kyle Korver.

Across his first 14 games, he's averaging 11.3 points on .523/.464/.923 shooting splits, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

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