The Los Angeles Lakers have made the most of the No. 17 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. Against all odds, Dalton Knecht fell out of the lottery and into the Lakers' lap, thus opening the door for Rob Pelinka to find perhaps the biggest steal of the evening.
Expectations are often tempered for rookies, but the Lakers are in a unique position to help Knecht make an immediate impact.
Knecht is the reigning SEC Player of the Year and one of the best shooters in the 2024 NBA Draft. He's also a skilled scorer beyond his catch-and-shoot ability, showing the toughness and creativity to create and finish.
That helped the 23-year-old average 21.7 points per game on .458/.397/.772 shooting. That includes the 37 points that he scored in the Elite Eight—Tennessee's deepest run in the NCAA Tournament since 2010.
Pelinka spoke directly about how Knecht will fit in Los Angeles, citing his 3-and-D potential and three-level scoring ability as reasons the Lakers took a chance on him.
"SEC Player of the Year, one of the toughest conferences … he’s a 3-level scorer … he’s going to defend. He’s physical and athletic. We just think he fits so well with our pillar pieces."
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 27, 2024
- Rob Pelinka on Dalton Knecht pic.twitter.com/9rTyZybr3A
The question is: After drafting Knecht, what does the Lakers' current rotation look like and how might he find the court as a rookie?
Projected Lakers depth chart after adding Dalton Knecht
Point Guard: D'Angelo Russell (Player Option), Gabe Vincent
Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish (Player Option), Jalen Hood-Schifino
Small Forward: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, Maxwell Lewis
Power Forward: LeBron James (Player Option), Jarred Vanderbilt
Center: Anthony Davis, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes (Player Option)
Editor's Note: Bolded players are projected starters.
Removing the contributors who have player options, the Lakers would be down four key cogs. That includes All-Star starters LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell, as well as defensive-minded backups Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish.
It's also worth noting that Max Christie is a restricted free agent whom the Lakers view as a key member of their young core.
With 13 players potentially under contract, including the four who can opt out, it's possible that the Lakers' depth chart will remain somewhat similar to what it currently is. In this scenario, Knecht would come in and have a chance to establish himself as the sixth man from the opening tip.
The second unit is flush with defensive-minded players such as Reddish, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent, but lacks the offensive sparkplug that Knecht can become.
With playmakers such as James, Reaves, and Russell creating open shots for Knecht along the perimeter, there could be an instant impact. Perhaps most importantly, Anthony Davis should also have more space to operate down low with a true sharpshooter entering the mix.
If nothing else, after the Lakers ranked No. 24 in three-point field goals made as a team in 2023-24, new head coach JJ Redick seems to have found his first answer to the question of how to improve.
Knecht could make an instant impact and deliver significant long-term value for the Lakers.