The Los Angeles Lakers know what to expect from their superstar duo. It's a blessing that few organizations can claim to benefit from as much as Los Angeles, with Anthony Davis and LeBron James each earning All-NBA honors in 2023-24.
Questions persist beyond that dynamic duo, but the 2024 NBA Draft has provided the Lakers with a unique opportunity to build its pursuit of sustainable excellence from the ground up.
Los Angeles entered the 2024 NBA Draft hoping to find a diamond in the rough who could develop into a quality member of the rotation. It never expected to have an opportunity to select reigning SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht.
After strong showings at Summer League and during the first four games of the preseason, Knecht is proving that Los Angeles has more than just another player to develop.
Knecht has been aggressive on every stage he's played, creating shots for himself and competing for loose balls whenever they're in his vecinity. He's experienced the ups and downs that rookies inevitably encounter, but he's refused to relent in the face of adversity.
If Knecht continues to play and develop at the level he is, the Lakers will have no way to justify omitting him from the rotation during the 2024-25 regular season.
3. Elite Three-Point Potential
Los Angeles finished the 2023-24 regular season ranked No. 24 in three-point field goals made and No. 28 in attempts. That was due in no small part to the questionable decision to ignore the team's top-10 ranking in efficiency, but the need for consistent shooters remains nonetheless.
The Lakers have an abundance of efficient shooters on the roster, but a case could be made that Knecht fills a void that would otherwise be left unoccupied: That of a true sharpshooting wing.
Rui Hachimura and LeBron James shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24. James carries a heavy offensive burden as a playmaker and shot creator, however, and Hachimura has long struggled to convert with the volume required of a true sharpshooter.
Knecht, meanwhile, is an aggressive three-point shooter willing and able to pull up from anywhere on the court, as well as a proficient off-ball player who knows how to use screens to get open.
With Knecht on the court, the Lakers would be able to trust a wing to work without the ball to generate offense. It's a strength that would enable Los Angeles to run more off-ball action designed to accentuate the strengths of playmakers such as James, Austin Reaves, and D'Angelo Russell.
Considering Lakers head coach JJ Redick, one of the best shooters in NBA history, believes Knecht ranks in the top one percent of three-point marksmen, it's safe to say there's talent to explore.
2. Athletic Tools For 3-and-D Success
Overshadowed by the fact that he's a 23-year-old incoming rookie, Knecht enters the NBA as the prototype for a modern wing. Standing at 6'5.25" and 204 pounds with a 6'9" wingspan, Knecht has the ideal measurements for a perimeter player.
The underrated aspect of what Knecht brings to the table is that he's one of the most impressive athletes to emerge from the 2024 NBA Draft.
Knecht posted the best time of any player in the shuttle run at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine and finished at No. 2 in the lane agility drill. He also placed 12th in the three-quarter sprint and posted an effortless 39.0" max vertical leap.
Those athletic gifts have already translated to game film in the NBA, as he's been quick to his spots, explosive around the rim, and swiftly on the ball whenever it comes loose.
Defensive consistency remains a question mark, but Knecht has all of the tools to become a strong on-ball defender. He also has the length and quickness to make an impact in the passing lanes, as well as the instincts to thrive as a rebounder.
As the Lakers attempt to fill out the rotation with players who can ideally complement Davis and James, developing a player with two-way potential should be a top priority.
Knecht has that upside in spades.
1. Three-Level Scoring Proficiency
If Knecht were simply a 3-and-D wing who needed time to develop, there would be reason to hold off on giving him minutes. His defensive consistency is still a question mark and three-point shooting is a strength that rookies often struggle to immediately translate, making early playing time tougher to come by.
The reality of the player the Lakers are developing, however, is that of a true three-level scorer—making early playing time an essential part of his development.
Knecht thrives at getting to his spots and operating without the ball, but he's also a skilled shot creator with the athletic gifts to take on any caliber of defender. Evolving from a player with upside to a consistent scoring threat, however, will require the opportunity to fail.
Coaches can tell Knecht every truth in the book, but it's not until what's worked for him at every level proves insufficient against NBA defenses that he'll truly have to face reality.
That opportunity for growth will be essential to Knecht's evolution as a player who can contribute to the Lakers in 2024-25 and potentially help lead the effort in future seasons. It may result in lower efficiency levels than one might hope for, but he'll hold opposing defenses accountable with his aggressive approach to scoring and could become the offensive anchor that the second unit currently lacks.
The Lakers are understandably focused on winning as many games in possible in 2024-25, but for the sake of the future of the organization, Knecht needs to be allowed to play through his mistakes.