5 Lakers who benefit the most from the arrival of rookie Dalton Knecht

Gabe Vincent

This might be a surprising inclusion, but Dalton Knecht is an essential addition to the cause of integrating Gabe Vincent. Vincent was supposed to be the marquee acquisition of the 2023 offseason, but after appearing in just 11 games in 2023-24, there's no clear sign of how ready he is.

If the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to provide Vincent with big minutes in 2024-25, then having him play alongside a sharpshooting wing like Knecht would be a wise decision.

Vincent was brought to Los Angeles for his defensive prowess and his postseason experience. Both remain intriguing, especially considering the 28-year-old erupted for four 20-point games during the Miami Heat's unexpected run to the 2023 NBA Finals.

Vincent also held opponents to 35.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc in 2022-23, which was 1.3 percent below the league average.

For as impressive as that is, Vincent has never been the most efficient shooter—which is why Knecht could be so valuable to his integration. The former Heat standout boasts a career mark of 33.2 percent from beyond the arc, although he did hit 36.8 percent of his 323 attempts in 2021-22.

With Knecht operating alongside Vincent as a part of the Lakers' second unit, those shooting woes could be more easily overlooked. In turn, the value that Vincent provides can be accentuated.