Dalton Knecht, Tennessee Volunteers
According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Dalton Knecht is expected to be drafted somewhere between No. 4 and No. 9 overall. That's a difficult range for the Los Angeles Lakers to trade into, but it's not an outright impossibility.
In the event that Knecht is available for a pick that the Lakers are able to acquire, it would behoove JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka to explore his selection.
Knecht is one of the best shooters and athletes in the 2024 NBA Draft. Standing at 6'5" and 212 pounds with a 6'9" wingspan, he turned heads at the Combine by posting a 39.0" max vertical leap, ranking No. 1 in the shuttle run, and finishing No. 2 in the lane agility drill.
It was a stellar showing from a player who was already earning rave reviews for his three-point shooting following a tremendous 2023-24 campaign with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Knecht finished his junior season averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per game on .458/.397/.772 shooting. He won the SEC Player of the Year award and earned All-American status, and led Tennessee to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2010.
In the NBA, Knecht projects favorably as a sharpshooting wing who could become a high-quality defender with the proper coaching.