The Los Angeles Lakers made two investments in the 2024 draft.
However, their first-round selection, Dalton Knecht, is the prospect NBA GMs believe is atop the NBA’s biggest draft steals. Knecht is tied with Bub Carrington, Devin Carter, Johnny Furphy, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Nikola Topic for the top spot in this year's NBA GM survey.
Knecht finished his collegiate career with Tennessee after spending two seasons at Northern Colorado and guided the Volunteers to the Elite 8 for the first time since 2010. As a result, the Los Angeles Lakers selected the 6-foot-5 wing No. 17 overall in the 2024 draft.
Knecht is a physical guard who uses his body to create separation on the hardwood. His calm demeanor enables him to handle pressure 30+ feet away from the basket.
He rarely over-dribbles, drives himself into traffic, or gets out of his element offensively. Instead, the three-level scorer completes a series of jab steps before attacking on the offensive end.
The consensus first-team All-American can drain triples from well beyond the arc, employ his deadly mid-range jump shot in stop-and-pop situations, and dart to the rim when defenders are overplaying him on the perimeter. Last season, Knecht averaged 21.7 points per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from three.
While the 23-year-old rookie hasn’t found his touch on the perimeter through two preseason games, he’s succeeded as a confident slasher, straight-line cutter, and transition finisher.
He’s also shown he can handle individual defensive assignments and avoid being the weak link on that end of the floor. Knecht’s shot will fall with time, but he’s making all the right plays on the floor for the Lakers.
With Knecht being one of the most polished and mature prospects in the 2024 draft class, it wouldn’t be surprising to witness the SEC Player of the Year enjoy an outstanding rookie campaign in Los Angeles.
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