Former Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht just became the newest Laker, and head coach JJ Redick is already showing him the ropes. According to team GM Rob Pelinka, Redick began drawing up plays for Knecht mere moments after his arrival.
“Rob Pelinka said coach JJ Redick immediately began drawing up pin downs and ATO sets on a whiteboard for Knecht for next season,” wrote Lakers insider Jovan Buha.
The Lakers had the 17th pick in this draft and while some were hoping for Bronny, they decided to go with a safer pick in Knecht, who Pelinka says was at the top of the Lakers‘ draft board.
The 6’6″ swingman is an elite shotmaker who is ready to make an impact from day one.
For a Lakers team desperate to compete and salvage what’s left of LeBron’s career, picking an NBA-ready prospect is huge to beef up their supporting cast. While Knecht will not play a major role for the Lakers, his skills should get him a place in the rotation.
Redick is still fresh off being named as the Lakers head coach and there are plenty of doubts about if he’s up for the job. With no prior coaching experience, hiring him now was a huge risk for the Lakers… but it’s paying off so far.
In his first media interview, Redick set the tone off the bat and made it clear that his priority will be on maximizing the talent and skills of his players. As a student of the game and an advocate for attention to detail, Redick was brought in to help the Lakers get back to a competitive state.
It remains to be seen how this summer will pan out for the Lakers but fans are pleased with the results so far. If Redick can get the guys to buy in, and Dalton Knecht can become a reliable shooter in the rotation, it will be a good start to get things back on track.
Rob Pelinka Says Dalton Knecht Was The Steal Of The Draft
Dalton was a top-10 pick in many mock drafts and the Lakers were surprised when he was still available at 17. According to Rob Pelinka he was on the team’s wishlist from the very start.
“We would’ve never imagined a player as skilled and sort of perfect for our needs would be there for us as Dalton Knecht. We had him as a top-10 player unanimously atop our scouting boards,” said Pelinka.
Rob Pelinka said he and the rest of the Lakers’ front office ranked Dalton Knecht as a top 10 pick pic.twitter.com/EpWCF7BMjf
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 27, 2024
As a two-way shooter who can stretch the floor, Dalton Knecht should be an ideal fit for the Lakers and it seems like coach Redick already has some great plans on how to utilize his game.
As for round two tomorrow, Bronny James is almost sure to get picked up by the Lakers but it’s unlikely that he’ll have a bigger impact on the team next season than Knecht.
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