Dalton Knecht didn't need much time in opener to prove he's ready for the moment

The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled their rookies to the world during the 2024-25 regular season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bronny James inevitably made headlines as he and LeBron James officially became the first father-son duo in NBA history.

In just 16 minutes of action, however, 2024 first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht established just how special he could be for Los Angeles.

Knecht's statistics won't blow anyone away. He finished his NBA debut with five points, two assists, one rebound, and one steal while shooting 2-of-4 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. He also committed a turnover and a foul.

Knecht had a positive impact on the Lakers, however, and his effort and overall performance beyond the numbers offered grounds for optimism.

The 23-year-old played with energy on both ends of the floor, thus showing how far he's come in a limited amount of time as a defender. There are still areas in which he must improve, but the plays he made under pressure were anything but run of the mill.

Knecht will need time to develop into the player he's capable of becoming, but there's clearly a reason why he was second among the reserves in minutes in the season opener.

Dalton Knecht can provide immediate value to the Lakers

During his 16 minutes of play, Knecht was aggressive in everything he did. He got to his spots on the floor, both with and without the ball, and was ready to make the Timberwolves pay for giving him space until they finally caught on to how closely they needed to guard him.

When that transpired, he proved that he was more than just a shooter—and instead a three-dimensional player with value in every phase of the offensive game.

Knecht knocked down a relatively deep three-point field goal for his first career NBA points. The shot alone would be worth discussing, but it was the play that created the offense that offered insight into how valuable he could be this season.

Knecht started along the baseline, came up to set a back screen for LeBron James, and ultimately curled to a few feet beyond the three-point line for catch-and-shoot magic.

When his jump shot wasn't falling, the creativity in his on-ball game began to rear its head. Knecht assisted a Jaxson Hayes dunk with a pass from a difficult angle that showcased the playmaking potential that flew under the radar due to the inherent nature of his score-first role in college.

Knecht also found Anthony Davis for an open three during the third quarter in a continuation of his unselfish and well-rounded approach to the game.

Only so much can be made of those plays, but it was encouraging to see Knecht thrive in a versatile manner when it wasn't his night to take over as a scorer. It's one of the most important steps that he'll need to take if he's going to become a rotation regular with a larger minute distribution.

As the season progresses, expect Knecht to continue to make strides toward becoming the sixth man in Los Angeles.