The Los Angeles Lakers have chosen Dalton Knecht as their first-round pick for the 2024 NBA Draft. Most fans should know that the draft is a process through which 60 new athletes enter the NBA and are chosen by teams that are interested in adding them.
The Lakers decided to use the 17th pick of the draft to select Dalton. General Manager Rob Pelinka was interviewed later and questioned about this decision. With that being said, let us take a closer look and find out what he had to say about this choice.
Rob Pelinka thinks Dalton Knecht is a weapon that the Los Angeles Lakers need
Lakers fans will certainly remember that their season came to an end during the first round of the playoffs. Despite LeBron James playing well, the Lakers ended up being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in 5 games. That clearly indicates that the team has a lot of changes to make if they wish to contend for an NBA championship.
Rob Pelinka opined that Dalton Knecht was a good choice for their draft pick. After all, Dalton provides the Lakers with air in several fields. Here is what Pelinka said about Knecht.
“Yeah I mean SEC Player of the Year. It’s one of the toughest conferences. So just his competitive nature stood out. He’s a 3 level scorer. A guy that’s going to defend. He’s physical. He’s athletic. Really a 3 and D player which every roster craves. He’s also a really good athlete.”
Pelinka added, “At the combine, he had a 39-inch vertical. So he’s got the ability to go off the bounce and attack the rim…We just think he fits so well with our pillar pieces and AD….There’s just a lot of versatility to his game and I think he gives us a weapon that we currently don’t have on our roster.”Having the GM speaking so highly of Knecht speaks to the expectations that the team has from him. Dalton is listed at 6’6 and will undoubtedly help the Lakers in terms of defense and physicality. Now, let us take a closer look at his college stats.
Dalton Knecht’s college stats make him a promising prospect in the NBA
Dalton Knecht did not declare for the NBA Draft as fast as some of the other players. He had a long college career, playing for North Colorado and the University of Tennessee. Although he struggled during the first half of his college career, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists during his last season of college basketball.
As Pelinka said, Dalton Knecht also shot the three-pointer quite well and used his athletic abilities to get easy shots at the rim. This makes him a useful pickup for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans are left wondering if he will be able to contribute towards their championship aspirations for next season.