One Question For Each Rookie On The Los Angeles Lakers

Dalton Knecht

Question: Can Knecht make strides to improve on the defensive side of the floor?

The Lakers selected Dalton Knecht with the 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Knecht‘s talents as a player are on the offensive side of the floor, where he can be a lights-out shooter. Both at the University of Tennessee and at Summer League, Knecht has shown his impressive offensive repertoire to great effect. He has proven to knock down shots from deep with good efficiency and range. He can get to the basket for the finish and do so athletically. Knecht even flashed his playmaking chops at Summer League, throwing some incredible passes. Given his proclivity towards scoring, Knecht gaining playmaking skills will only further enhance his overall offensive skill set. Without a doubt, the offensive end of the floor is Knecht’s calling card in the NBA. However, the biggest area of weakness in his game is on the defensive side of the ball.

While not the worst defender in the world, the rookie does struggle heavily defensively. Even on the Lakers Summer League team, Knecht had a hard time keeping his man in front of him. Despite his struggles, he does have it within himself to not be a defensive liability and there were flashes of good defense at Summer League. The big question for Knecht is whether or not he can make strides to improve on the defensive end of the court. His ability to improve defensively will be the skill that determines how many minutes he plays next season. If he succeeds in improving his defense, there will be no doubt that Knecht will be a full-time rotation member. If he doesn’t improve faster enough, he will most likely only play spot minutes for his shooting. His ability to answer that question can dictate how much Knecht plays this coming season.

Bronny James

Question: Can James prove to his critics that he does deserve to be an NBA player?

Bronny James has been no stranger to talk and criticism of his game, however, the chorus of doubters has grown louder ever since being drafted. Many considered James as only being drafted due to the influence of his father, Lebron James. To some, James has not shown enough as a basketball player to deserve to be drafted. So, the big question for James is whether he can show his critics that he does deserve to be an NBA player. Despite a rocky start to the Summer League and his NBA Career, James ended his time at the Summer League with two strong, back-to-back performances. In those two games, James flashed his potential and what he could be as an NBA player.

It is important for James to follow up on those performances and keep the positive momentum. While he may not play much with the main Lakers team, he will have opportunities to develop in the G-League. The best way for James to answer the question is to play well and make improvements against G-League talent. If James can show the same confidence in the G-League as he did in his last two Summer League games, it will go a long way in silencing his critics. It would be even more effective if he could do it throughout next season. If James can’t do that, it will only add ammunition against him and his place in the league. Regardless, the ball is in James’ court in terms of how he wants to respond to the criticism against him.