While Summer League may have helped increase stock in some of last year’s draft class, it also decreased—if not disintegrated—the value of others. Lakers guard Dalton Knecht finds himself in the latter category, with a rough offseason signaling a spiral in his odds of cracking the rotation.
Summer Slump Paints Bleak Picture for Sophomore Lakers Guard
The Good, Bad and Ugly of Summer League
After a rookie campaign that saw him average 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds on.461/.376/.762 splits, many Lakers fans expected Dalton Knecht to grow in the offseason and become a capable backup wing.
Summer League stopped any of that promise, serving as a rude awakening for last year’s 17th overall pick. Besides a 25-point outburst in a comeback win over the Spurs, Knecht faltered. The 24-year-old averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds between games in San Francisco and Las Vegas. He also shot a measly 32% from the field, 23% from three and 64% from the free-throw line. Between his offensive struggles and looking like a Tennessee orange traffic cone on defense, it’s safe to say Knecht’s value has tanked significantly.
However, there are still slivers of hope for both Knecht and Lakers fans to hold on to. For starters, he showed he could still score in bursts, a trait he unleashed against the Spurs. Knecht also improved on his off-ball cutting and transition play—two aspects he flashed in spurts throughout the summer. Suiting up next to three elite playmakers in LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves should help his chances in meaningful games.
Offseason Acquisitions Spell Trouble for Knecht
While Knecht can regain trust in training camp, a few more obstacles stand in his way.
23-year-old Jake LaRavia, who developed into a rotational piece for the Grizzlies and Kings, is in line for a similar (if not larger) role with the Lakers. A 6’8” forward who shot 38% from deep last season, LaRavia offers a pivotal skill set Knecht doesn’t have: defense. The Pasadena, Calif., native is a physical and active defender who is looking to grow on that end of the floor.
Likewise, the addition of Marcus Smart—another tenacious ball-stopper and a former Defensive Player of the Year—could stunt Knecht’s development regardless of his role. Having Smart come off the bench would make him the perfect sixth man behind Doncic or Reaves. Placing him in the starting lineup, meanwhile, would push Rui Hachimura to the bench. Overall, it’d be a lose-lose situation for Knecht unless he finds a rhythm and outplays his teammates for the ninth or tenth spot.
Playing Knecht Could Come with a Cost
Yet another strike against Knecht is what his minutes would mean for the Lakers’ backup center spot, which is currently held by Jaxson Hayes (or, potentially, Maxi Kleber).
While discussing potential rotations with basketball analytics specialist “Cranjis McBasketball,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha left Knecht out of the ten-man group, citing how playing him would leave no room for a center.
“We both had him outside of the 10-man rotation, but we acknowledged that this assumes JJ plays Jaxson/Maxi at backup 5 and they play more traditional lineups,” Buha wrote on X. “If they don’t play a true backup 5, DK could slide into the 10th spot. Hard to see him playing over any of [the] top 9.”
“I think they need to play their best players and it’s hard to argue him higher than 10th,” he added, responding to another post. “And even if you make that case, that means no backup center and the Lakers likely [playing] 16-20 minutes center-less. If they expand the rotation to 11 guys — unlikely but possible, at least for stretches of the season — then DK makes sense.”
With the five being a priority for the purple and gold, Knecht would likely have to sacrifice his minutes for Hayes and/or Kleber—a necessary move to avoid the pitfalls that small ball gave them last season.
Amid Tough Road Ahead, Knecht May Still Have a Chance
Knecht may face a bevy of obstacles in the next few months, but he’s still a valuable player who is eager to improve. And while the Redick-led Lakers are committed to developing young talent, the reality is: there are limited minutes to go around—with some roles already defined.
Thus, it’s on both Knecht and the Lakers to craft an effective plan for next season. Knecht must jump over several hurdles to show that his poor outings were outliers, while Redick and his staff do their part to find opportunities for him.
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