In 2023-24, the Lakers finished 47-35 and had to compete in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs. Los Angeles earned the seventh seed and lost in five games to Denver in the first round. After the season, the team parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham after just two seasons.
To replace him, the Lakers hired JJ Redick to be their next head coach. With their first-round pick in the 2024 draft, the Lakers selected SF Dalton Knecht out of Tennessee. On Thursday night vs. the Suns, Knecht went for 35 points in a preseason OT win. The 23-year-old is proving that he needs regular minutes in the rotation during the regular season. Knecht is a sharpshooter and can be a force offensively for Los Angeles.
Dalton Knecht was red hot in the second half for Los Angeles
DALTON KNECHT TONIGHT:
35 POINTS
7 REBOUNDS
8 3PM
10/18 FG pic.twitter.com/Lraa4EY47g
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 18, 2024
During his collegiate career, Dalton Knecht played two seasons at the University of Northern Colorado. With his final year of eligibility, he transferred to Tennessee. In the 2023-24 season, Knecht averaged a career-high (21.7) points per game. Additionally, he was voted 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year along with Consensus All-American honors. Knecht capitalized on his final year in college and was selected with the 17th pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024.
Through his first four games of the preseason for the Lakers, rookie SF Dalton Knecht was averaging (13.8) points per game. On Thursday vs. the Suns, Knecht had a slow first half. However, he exploded for 30 points in the second half and 20 straight between the fourth quarter and OT. That helped Los Angeles pull off an OT win vs. the Suns. Knecht’s 35 points were tied with Anthony Davis for a team-high vs. the Suns. The rookie has proved he’s worthy of a larger role moving forward and JJ Redick was aware that Knecht put on a show Thursday night. Knecht should be a solid piece of the bench for the Lakers in 2024-25.
