The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a heartbreaking 119-118 loss to the Orlando Magic. The team was in a great run of form coming in, having won their last six games.
This loss could spur some change, and head coach JJ Redick has already hinted at one that was planned before the upset. Speaking before the game, he seemed to suggest that Rui Hachimura would return to the starting lineup and replace Dalton Knecht after he is cleared.
While Reddick did note that Hachimura would take his place back on the starting lineup, it would be his and his coaching staff’s responsibility to work out a way to get Knecht more involved in the game while coming off the bench. Clearly, Knecht has earned his keep with the team, even if it is as a second-unit player.
Knecht has been really impressive since replacing Hachimura as a starter. In the five games he has been in the starting five, Knecht has averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.0 blocks, while shooting 55.4% from the field, 50.0% from deep, and 85.7% from the charity stripe.
Last night was another good outing from the rookie, as he dropped 17 points (7-14 FG), four rebounds, and one assist. But after his scintillating 37-point performance on Tuesday night against the Jazz, fans were hoping he’d have a similar amount of points against the Magic.
Rui Hachimura has been decent this season as well, averaging 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game, while shooting 42.1% from the field, 50.0% from the three-point line, and and making 82.6% of his free throws.
The decision to replace Knecht with Hachimura is probably due to experience rather than stats, as Hachimura is a seasoned NBA player, whereas Knecht is still a rookie adapting to the league. While Knecht may eventually earn a starting spot, for now, Hachimura is the right option to go with.
Dalton Knecht: The Steal Of The 2024 NBA Draft
Dalton Knecht has earned the love and admiration of Lakers fans very quickly into his rookie season. The four-year University of Tennessee standout was considered one of the best prospects in this year’s class but fell all the way to the 17th pick. One can imagine him being an older rookie at 23 years old swayed teams away from him.
Knecht spoke about falling down to the 17th pick recently but didn’t seem to show any signs of anger or resentment. The rookie seemed happy about the circumstances as it allowed him to play alongside LeBron James, and represent one of the most prestigious franchises in the NBA.
Knecht has been a massive blessing for the Lakers, as they have sorely needed his three-point shooting. The Lakers have been one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league for multiple seasons now and needed a player who could reliably shoot the ball from deep.
Without knowing it, the Lakers have drafted yet another young player to their core, and fans will be hoping he stays with the team for years to come.
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