In a sense, Bronny James is the Los Angeles Lakers’ most significant rookie. After all, the team's decision to bring him on board may have helped them re-sign LeBron James. Still, there’s no doubt that Dalton Knecht is currently their best pick from the 2024 NBA Draft.
Selected with the 17th overall pick, Knecht averaged 21.7 points per game on 39.7% shooting from three-point range in 2023-24. Contrast that with James’s numbers at USC -- 4.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting from deep -- and it highlights the legitimate difference and their potential impact next season.
At 23 years old, Knecht is a little older than most of the players in his class. Though he only played three years at the Division 1 level, the Colorado native spent two seasons at Northeastern Junior College. However, while a prospect’s age is usual a focal point for teams, it’s not a detriment to Knecht in this situation. The Lakers are a serious organization with a future Hall of Famer who would like to ride off into the sunset.
In an extensive interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Knecht opened up about his expectations leading into his first NBA season. The sharpshooter says that Los Angeles drafted him “with full confidence.”
“The pick was locked in quick,” Knecht recalls. “I got the phone call and it just shows that JJ (Redick) and Rob (Pelinka) have a lot of trust in me... I think it’s really cool that they have the confidence and that JJ was excited to get me.”
The Lakers were obviously enticed, at least in part, by his shooting ability. For a team that ranked 24th in three-point conversions last season, that’s not a bad call. Furthermore, like Knecht, Redick was a marksman in his playing days.
In fact, he ranks in the top-20 in career three-point percentage and three-point field goals. Consequently, Knecht knows the Lakers head coach “Kind of understands how (his) mind works.” He’s even taken to implementing parts of Redick’s workout routine into his own. Nonetheless, Knecht believes that he can and should contribute in other areas.
”I feel like I put a lot of hard work in,” Knecht said. ”So I’m going to believe in my shot at all times. One thing that I can always do, regardless of how I shoot, is control my effort, defense and rebounding. I’m just communicating to my teammates and being there to space out the floor. It’s just that and learning and guarding my position and being ready and locked in on the defensive side.”
Ultimately, it’s not out of the realm of possibility Redick throws Knecht into the rotation on Day 1. Nor is it difficult to see Knecht handling the pressure well, if so.
