DALTON KNECHT HAS ARRIVED

14 teams passed on selecting Dalton Knecht in the 2024 NBA draft due to his age (23) at the time. But with LeBron’s playing career reaching it’s twilight and the team needing someone who would be ready to contribute from the jump, the Lakers were more than happy to scoop up his services as a sharpshooting, versatile wing scorer.

After finishing up his collegiate career as the NCAA’s 8th leading scorer (21.7 PPG) last year, it was abundantly clear that the 6’6”, 215 pound swingman was an NBA-ready offensive weapon. It did not take him long to solidify this status, as he led LA with 16 points in the squad’s first preseason game. Just a few games later, the former Tennessee Volunteer erupted for 35 against Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. Needless to say, the rook garnered the trust of his peers and coaching staff right out of the gates.

But although Knecht had rightfully earned his place in the rotation, he struggled to establish a consistent rhythm once the regular season began. Thankfully, he appears to be turning a corner over the course of the last 3 games (all starts), averaging 20 PPG on a sizzling 63.8% shooting from the field and 63.1% from beyond the arc during that stretch.

He was always an ideal candidate to share the floor with LBJ and AD, and that thought has officially come to fruition. His fearless spirit and confident demeanor guided him through the early growing pains, and it seems as though his place in the starting unit is now his to lose.

The Lakers have not housed a Rookie of the Year since Elgin Baylor earned the acknowledgment all the way back in in 1959. If Dalton Knecht can sustain this level of superb performance and his team simultaneously continues to win games as the season progresses, that longstanding drought could/should come to a close.