Lakers 2024 First Round Pick Ready for a Breakout Season in His Second Year
The Los Angeles Lakers are ready for their upcoming season, looking to win their 18th NBA Championship. The team consists of three star players, including other players who can make an impact, whether in the starting lineup or off the bench. Some of their star players include Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. Many players can also make an impact, but there is one player who has been forgotten about who can make an impact in his second season in the NBA. One of those players is preparing for his second season and is ready to have a breakout year when given the opportunity.
Dalton Knecht is a player to watch for the Lakers in their upcoming season. The former Tennessee Volunteer basketball player was selected with the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. In his rookie season with the Lakers, Knecht averaged nine points per game in 19 minutes per game, while playing 78 games. Knecht had some good games during the season, with a 37-point game against the Utah Jazz. In November, he scored 15 or more points in five games; however, his playing time decreased throughout the season, especially after the Lakers traded away Anthony Davis for Dončić.
During the trade deadline, the Lakers agreed to trade Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for big man Mark Williams. However, the trade was called back after Williams failed his physical. Once Knecht returned to the Lakers, his playing role decreased, and during the Lakers’ first-round series against the Timberwolves, he only played a total of four minutes in two games. In those two games, he played one game for just 38 seconds.
Knecht is a talented shooter and can score at all three levels, either in the paint, the mid-range, or beyond the arc. He can score in an isolation situation, as well as being a scoring threat without the ball in his hands. However, just like most of the Lakers' players, he struggles on the defensive end, as he has a hard time staying in front of other guards when defending them. Once Knecht improves his defense, as well as staying consistent with his offensive play, he can be a player to watch for the Lakers in their upcoming season. It will be exciting to see what role Lakers coach J.J. Redick has for Dalton Knecht this year, but when given an opportunity, Dalton Knecht will showcase his talent and show up on other teams' scouting reports as a player to watch out for.
