In 2023-24, the Lakers went 47-35 and had to play in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs. Los Angeles earned the No. 7 seed and lost to Denver in five games in the first round. After the season, the team parted ways with coach Darvin Ham after just two seasons.
To replace him, the Lakers hired JJ Reddick as their next head coach. The Lakers selected SF Dalton Knecht from Tennessee with a first-round pick in the 2024 draft. On Thursday night against the Suns, Knecht scored 35 points in a preseason OT win. The 23-year-old is proving he deserves playing time in the regular rotation during the regular season. Knecht is a sharpshooter and could be an offensive force in Los Angeles.
Dalton Knecht was hot in the second half for Los Angeles.
Dalton Knecht Tonight:
35 points
7 rebounds
8 o’clock 3 p.m.
10/18 FG pic.twitter.com/Lraa4EY47g— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 18, 2024
During his college years, Dalton Knecht spent two seasons at the University of Northern Colorado. In his final year of eligibility, he transferred to Tennessee. In the 2023-24 season, Knecht averaged a career-high score per game (21.7 points). Additionally, he was named the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year along with Consensus All-American honors. Knecht put his final year of college to good use, becoming the 17th pick in the 2024 Los Angeles Lakers.
In the Lakers’ first four preseason games, rookie SF Dalton Knecht averaged 13.8 points per game. Thursday vs. In the Suns game, Knecht had a slow first half. However, in the second half, he scored 30 points and 20 consecutive points from the 4th quarter to OT. This helped Los Angeles earn an OT win over the Suns. Knecht’s 35 points tied Anthony Davis for the team’s most points against the Suns. The rookie has proven himself worthy of a bigger role going forward, and JJ Redick knew Knecht put on a show Thursday night. Knecht should be a solid bench member for the Lakers in 2024-25.
