It’s not surprising at all that the Utah Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have rebounded quite well under JJ Redick following an uneven season under Darvin Ham. So, it would not have been too outlandish to suggest a loss was inevitable.
However, what made it look worse was knowing that the one who beat the Jazz was none other than Lakers’ standout rookie Dalton Knecht. Knecht was the game’s high-scorer, putting up 37 points on 12-for-16 shooting from the field, including nine-for-12 from three-point land.
What makes it harder is knowing that the Jazz had the chance to draft Knect in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers drafted the University of Tennessee alum with the No. 17 pick, seven picks after the Jazz drafted Cody Williams at No. 10.
Williams’ transition to the NBA has been a slow one. He’s definitely flashed his potential every once in a while but hasn’t developed any consistency. It’s hard to tell what will become of him. Knecht, by contrast, has been pretty consistent in his role for the Lakers this season. He just happened to put up his career-high against the Jazz.
Now, no one is saying it’s time to give up on Williams, but there has been ample evidence to suggest that it may be a while before he sprouts. That isn’t much of a problem since the Jazz themselves will need time before they become a playoff contender again, but Knecht at least would have been ready now so the Jazz could know what they were dealing with.
It’s not the end of the world that they didn’t get him, but an integral part of building a winner is having players who undoubtedly bring something that makes a team a winner. Knecht could have been a crucial ingredient for what the Jazz are cooking.
Considering his age for a rookie (23), Knecht fits better on a team trying to win like the Lakers, but that doesn’t deter from the fact that the Jazz could have used him, too.
This sentiment could look pretty stupid not too long from now, but in a rebuild, there’s so much uncertainty that watching a rookie thrive right away can be a little frustrating. However, Utah can take one solace from Knecht’s breakout game.
For everything that’s gone wrong for the Jazz, one of the few bright spots this season has been Kyle Filipowski. Enough has already been said about why he’s been so good for them, so the lesson here is that sometimes teams hit on their draft picks, and sometimes they don’t.
Sometimes, draft picks look like a stud from the beginning while others need a minute. During games like tonight, the former can make a team look bad for passing on him, but there will be plenty of chances for the guy they picked in front of him to prove what he can do.
It looks like the Lakers hit a bullseye with Knecht, the Jazz hit a bullseye with Filipowski, and it’s to be determined what the Jazz hit with Williams. Right now, the Jazz might kick themselves for not getting Knecht while they had the chance, but so much can change in a month.
