In a chat with the media ahead of the Lakers’ showdown against the Thunder on Friday, Anthony Davis opened up on rising rookie Dalton Kneht and the impact he’s made on the team so far. According to Davis, Dalton has been huge for the team, and his shooting is making a massive difference on the floor.
“Spacing. He’s a shooter,” said Davis (via Spectrum) on what Knecht brings to the starting lineup. “He can shoot the basketball and was able to get some open shots. We were setting back screens and when you shoot the ball as well as he does, two people tend to go to him and we’ll be open at the rim or if their guy helps on me then we got another guy who’s open in the corner or on the wing. So he brings a different dynamic to us whether that’s in the starting unit or the second unit. But specifically with that starting unit, he creates that spacing for us and when we swing it to him we know he’s gonna knock down the shot.”
Depth has been a consistent problem for the Lakers in the LeBron James era. And while they are still thin in the frontcourt, this season has been a welcome change from the norm for the Purple and Gold.
With 39-year-old LeBron James leading the show, the Lakers are putting up a fight this season thanks to a well-balanced effort from the supporting cast. Dalton Knecht, in particular, has been a major difference-maker.
After getting eliminated in the first round this year, the Lakers made some moves to help strengthen their odds of a title run. First, they fired Darvin Ham and replaced him with JJ Redick, whose extensive knowledge of the game is helping to maximize the players.
In the draft, the Lakers picked up a pair of rookies who hope to become a permanent part of the rotation. Dalton Knecht in particular has been a massive success for the Lakers. The 23-year-old guard was picked 17th in the 2024 draft but he’s currently one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year.
This season, with averages of 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game on 50.7% shooting, Knecht has been a major boost for the Lakers offensively, who rank 10th in points per game at 115.6. He’s opened up the floor for the stars and has delivered in the clutch with big shots.
Knecht has been in and out of the starting lineup all season, but after he started in their latest win, JJ Redick has made the decision to keep him in that spot permanently and now he’ll have the chance to shine with some assurance in his role.
It’s set to be a long season for the Lakers, but with unexpected contributions from Dalton Knecht, they have a chance to make things interesting in the West standings and finally make amends for their previous failures. Anthony Davis knows how important the young shooter is to their goals and if he can just stay healthy, he’ll have the chance to prove it to the entire world this season.
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