Los Angeles Lakers wing Dalton Knecht is in the midst of a slump that has spanned Summer League and the 2025 NBA preseason. Less than six months after completing a rookie campaign in which he shot with impressive efficiency for a first-year player, Knecht can't seem to buy a bucket.
Thankfully, Lakers head coach JJ Redick is the perfect candidate to save Knecht from his slump due to the perspective he gained as a player.
Before Redick became the head coach of the Lakers, he carved out a career as one of the best shooters in basketball history. He was at the forefront of the three-point revolution during his legendary run with the Duke Blue Devils and became a top-tier shooter in the NBA with multiple franchises.
Redick finished his NBA career at 41.5 percent on 4,704 career attempts from beyond the arc, shooting as well as 47.5 percent across a full season.
For as efficient as he was, Redick is no stranger to slumps. For that matter, no shooter is. As such, he's uniquely qualified to work with Knecht on both the technical aspects of what's gone wrong and figuring out what type of mental blocks might be in place.
If Redick is successful in doing so, the Lakers could receive a better version of a player who already had a case for being the best shooter on the roster in 2025-26.
JJ Redick can lean on playing experience to help Dalton Knecht out of rut
Knecht finished his rookie season with averages of 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 three-point field goals made in 19.2 minutes per game. Those figures translate to impressive tallies of 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.1 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Knecht ranked No. 1 amongst qualified rookies in three-point field goals made per 36 minutes and No. 4 in points per 36, trailing only Stephon Castle, Zaccharie Risacher, and Alex Sarr.
Most impressive about Knecht was how he navigated fluctuating minutes and still maintained an impressive level of efficiency. He posted a slash line of .461/.376/.762 and compiled an efG% of .576—the second-highest mark of any 2024-25 rookie after 7'4" center Zach Edey.
Unfortunately, Knecht shot 27.9 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc in three Summer League games, and is 5-of-21 from the field and 3-of-14 from distance this preseason.
Perhaps this all boils down to Knecht having trouble processing the fact that he would've been traded in February had Mark Williams not failed his physical. There's much to be said about the importance of immediately winning with superstars on the roster, but following that hectic period by having his minutes cut couldn't have been easy on Knecht as a first-year player—or even just as a human.
Thankfully, Redick knows what it's likely to be traded, as well as how it feels to be in a position of uncertainty with the organization that drafted him.
If he can lean on those experiences, as well as how he broke through during shooting slumps, perhaps Knecht can turn things around. He could still be invaluable to team success, with the proclivity for explosive performances and high-level floor-spacing that all teams need.
Nothing is guaranteed to transpire or work out in the end, but Redick is the ideal head coach to provide guidance when Knecht may need it most.