The Los Angeles Lakers are entering March with reasons for both optimism and disappointment. Los Angeles has the best record in the NBA since Jan. 15, but it's also coming off of consecutive games in which it lost starters to injuries.
With Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves battling ailments, the Lakers need to give rookie Dalton Knecht the opportunity to play regularly big minutes.
Knecht has experienced a frustrating rookie season as far as his playing time is concerned. He's thrived as a scorer when given the opportunity to play 20-plus minutes, but concerns about his defense have limited those chances.
Those concerns are admittedly founded in reality, as Los Angeles has posted its worst defensive rating during the minutes that Knecht has been on the court.
For as valid as the trepidation is, there's a genuine possibility that the Lakers will need Knecht to play significant minutes in big games—including during the playoffs. Rather than waiting until the postseason to give him the green light, Los Angeles must rip the bandaid off as quickly as possible.
Playing without Hachimura and Reaves will require the Lakers to replace the production of the third and fourth-leading scorers, and Knecht is uniquely qualified to help in that regard.
Dalton Knecht is the best option Lakers have to fill void on offense
Hachimura and Reaves have averaged a combined 32.4 points per game during the 2024-25 regular season. Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 26—the latter of which was the day before Hachimura left a game early due to a left knee strain—they averaged a combined 40.8 points per contest.
The rookie obviously won't replace that production on his own, but between a healthy Doncic and a resurgent Knecht, the Lakers could offset some of what they're losing.
One of the keys to Hachimura's recent uptick in production was his lights-out shooting from beyond the arc. Between the aforementioned dates, he was averaging 17.9 points and 2.5 three-point field goals made while shooting 42.2 percent from distance.
Knecht, meanwhile, has already established himself as one of the best three-point shooters on the team—as well as a walking heat check when given the chance.
When he plays at least 20 minutes, Knecht is averaging 13.6 points and 2.4 three-point field goals made on 39.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. That includes an average of 20.5 points per game during the eight outings in which he's received at least 30 minutes of playing time.
Compounded by his five 20-point games, including a 37-point eruption against the Utah Jazz, Knecht has proven capable of scoring at an impressive level.
There's no denying that he'll need to make improvements on defense in order help the Lakers sustain their top-of-the-NBA form. Los Angeles' best option to replace the offense they're losing, however, is to give Knecht a chance to learn by fire.
There may be early issues as Knecht adjusts to a larger role, but the upside is undeniable for a team that invested in him with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft for a reason.