Los Angeles Lakers wing Dalton Knecht has experienced a nightmare second season. After revealing intriguing potential during his rookie campaign, he's averaged just 10.3 minutes per game during his sophomore year in the NBA.
With Luka Doncic out for the remainder of the regular season and facing a generally unknown recovery timetable from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, it's time to give Knecht a final chance.
Though it's purely speculative, many have jumped to the conclusion that Knecht will be moved this coming summer—or at least that he should be. That's fueled in no small part by the fact that Los Angeles traded him to the Charlotte Hornets ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline.
Unfortunately, that deal ultimately fell through at the 25th hour when Mark Williams failed a physical and the Lakers backed out of the trade, thus bringing Knecht back to Los Angeles.
It's not hard to imagine such a development taking its toll on a first-year NBA player who had thought they'd found a promising first professional home. Unfortunately, it's all taken a turn for the worst with the 2025 trade for Doncic pushing the Lakers toward favoring more defensive-minded wings over Knecht and his offensively-inclined skill set.
With Doncic now sidelined and the Lakers needing to fill the offensive void, however, head coach JJ Redick must give Knecht a chance to prove he still has something to offer to Los Angeles.
With Luka Doncic out, Dalton Knecht needs minutes to decide future
Knecht finished his rookie season with averages of 9.1 points per game and 17.0 points per 36 minutes on .461/.376/.762 shooting. He produced two 30-point games and seven 20-point performances, quickly emerging as an ideal complement to Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
With Doncic operating as a ball-dominant offensive player who needs defensive support along the wings, however, Knecht's own flaws on defense have cast him out of the spotlight.
Though his defensive issues are worth mentioning, the matter of offensive fit is equally as significant. Knecht is a skilled three-point shooter, but he's far more of a scorer than a pure spot-up player who can primarily function away from the ball.
Even in 2024-25, he proved he's capable at a commendable 37.4 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, but was more efficient at an eye-opening 39.7 percent on his pull-up attempts from beyond the arc.
That goes back to his college days, when Knecht emerged as a three-level scoring threat for the Tennessee Volunteers. Unfortunately, in a system with three ball-dominant playmakers in Doncic, James, and Austin Reaves, there simply isn't much room for another shot creator.
With Doncic out and the Lakers needing a supporting shot creator to emerge, however, the time has arrived for Knecht to make a final case for himself for a role as a piece of the future puzzle.