One of the earliest indicators of whether a rookie can hang at the next level is how they handle adversity. First-time NBA players typically have a rough go of things in their inaugural season. They get bullied on the court, have to adapt to a new way of living off it and an unforgiving spotlight tracks every step of their progress.
Despite being older than his peers, Dalton Knecht has not been exempt from these growing pains. In his first ten games, the No. 17 overall pick shot just 31% from behind the arc despite glowing marksman grades at Tennessee. His 50% eFG% was also suboptimal for a Lakers’ team starved for scoring punch off the bench.
To make matters worse, Knecht also might as well had a red circle painted on the back of purple and gold jersey the way opposing players ruthlessly targeted him on defense.
And yet, Knecht just kept playing.
He was not fazed at his reliable shot rimming out, nor did he blink an eye at getting isolated against a switch or his fluctuating minutes. Instead, the 23-year-old kept his head down and follow-through steady. He played like someone who knew results would eventually come. And they have.
Knecht has averaged 20 points in his last three games on 63.9/63.2/100 shooting splits. Perhaps even more impressive than his video-game-like numbers is how timely and necessary they’ve been to the Lakers’ recent surge.
Against Memphis, Knecht’s fourth-quarter flurry from deep salvaged what would have been the Lakers’ worst loss of the season. With injuries to Cam Reddish and Rui Hachimura, he stepped into the starting lineup and dropped an efficient 14 against San Antonio. And the Lakers needed every one of his career-high 27 points in their comeback victory against New Orleans.
“He’s getting comfortable,” JJ Redick said following the team’s win over the Pelicans. “But I would also say when you are an offensive player, when you’re a guy who is a high-level shooter, getting more extended runs and getting more minutes, you’re naturally just going to be more in the flow of the game. I think maybe I called a play or two, for him. But he just kind of got it through our offense and our passing and ball movement.”
Like other top shot-makers, rhythm is essential to Knecht’s effectiveness. With more playing time — 31.5 minutes per game in his last three contests — and opportunity, Knecht has built momentum and tapped into what made him such a dynamic threat in college.
It helps that his shots have started to go down, yes. But don’t let results disguise what’s been there from day one for Knecht — universal trust.
Watch any Lakers’ game and you’ll quickly notice how much Redick and his teammates draw up for the rookie. The ball simply just tends to find him, even though the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the roster.
Whether that trust was given because Redick views Knecht as an extension of himself as a player or as the muse that allows him to paint his X’s and O’s onto the hardwood, Knecht has been the catalyst to some of the Lakers’ most creative play-calls. Mainly because of his ability to shoot off of motion.
Between his touch, ability to dart off a variety of screens and quick trigger, Knecht has shown flashes of being the exact type of shooter the Lakers have longed for.
This once-missing skillset has created more optionality in the half-court (6th-best efficiency) and has had a trickle-down effect on the team’s playbook. The Lakers’ Delay, Horns and Stack sets, in particular, have become staples where Knecht’s fingerprints often can be found.
Due to his shooting prowess, Knecht is still often pegged as just a shooter. While that’s certainly a large portion of his game, he is also so much more than that.
In the instances where the defense ICE or goes over a screen to prevent him from getting free, for example, Knecht has shown the capability of putting the ball on the floor by either getting to the rim or pulling up against bigs in drop coverage. He hasn’t flinched when that’s happened. In fact, he’s been just as comfortable as he is when he’s behind the arc.
Knecht has converted on 60.6% of his 2-point field goal attempts this season. That ranks in the 91st percentile among all wings this year.
Beyond his shooting acumen and on-ball versatility, Knecht has also shown a good feel as an off-ball weapon, primarily through his cutting.
With so much attention devoted to James and Davis, Knecht has displayed a knack for slithering his way into open gaps for easy opportunities. This is not entirely unusual for good shooters, as cutting and coming off screens share similar philosophies.
However, what separates Knecht from those players is his ability to finish off two feet once the ball finds him. With several dunks under his belt already, Knecht’s capacity to rise and finish through and over defenders — 78% shooting at the rim — is a useful tool in his box once closeouts come faster and teams eventually attempt to top-lock against him.
Because of the various ways he can score, Knecht has had an instant impact on what has become a surging Lakers’ offense that now ranks fourth-best in the NBA.
Through 13 games, the Lakers are an impressive +9.4 points better when he’s been on the floor in 520 possessions and have an otherwordly 126.2 offRTG in those minutes. For context on the absurdity of that number, Boston currently leads the league with an offRTG of 125.5.
Playing next to the team’s most potent offensive players helps inflate those numbers for Knecht, of course, but he’s more than played his part. And in many ways, has been one of the spearheads.
If Knecht keeps shooting and playing like this, difficult lineup decisions may be on the horizon.
Whether changes come in the form of more minutes coming his way at the expense of others or a consolidation trade down the road, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Knecht not only can play but deserves to.
Knecht still needs to improve in key areas, namely the defensive end, to force Redick’s hand. But until then, the Lakers can at least sleep well knowing they seem to have struck gold.
Even if Knecht regresses and hits another cold stretch like he did to start the year, fans and the team can take solace his confidence will remain unwavering.
“I think every time I shoot the ball, I think it’s a great shot,” Knecht said when asked if he’s taken any ill-advised looks this season.
So whether they clank off the rim or hit the bottom of the net, Knecht will keep letting it fly. Because shooters shoot. And for the first time in a long time, the Lakers can be the team that benefits from it.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Twitter at @AlexmRegla.
