Austin Reaves Talks Origin Of Relationship With Dalton Knecht & Excitement When Lakers Drafted Him https://t.co/VpVq4Q1Rtx

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 19, 2024

Dalton Knecht was viewed as one of the biggest steals in this year’s draft, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers with the 17th overall pick. And recently, he has begun to find his stride after a bit of a slow start, giving the Lakers the offensive boost off the bench the team needs.

He has also endeared himself to his teammates and the coaches, all of whom have spoken highly of him since the offseason. But perhaps his closest relationship is with guard Austin Reaves.

In fact, this stretches back to Knecht’s time in college at the University of Tennessee as Reaves revealed that he noticed his play there and began texting him after games.

“I just randomly one day saw him going crazy doing what he did in college and obviously I was very impressed with the way he scores the ball,” Reaves said after practice on Monday. “The way he willed his Tennessee team to a lot of wins was special and I like to show my respects when I really like guys that have a lot of talent, and he’s one of those guys. I would text him after games that I saw and congratulate him on the accolades that he was putting up. That’s really it.”

Reaves and many others were impressed by Knecht’s season in Tennessee, where he would win SEC Player of the Year. Most expected Knecht to be drafted in the top 10, but as he continued to drop and eventually the Lakers were on the board, Reaves felt the choice was obvious.

Interesting trade for Lakers. They get a young, talented, volume 3-point shooting starting point guard replacement for D'Angelo Russell. Cost is high as they give up both picks. Options at point guard may be increasing for Lakers. https://t.co/m9dSsN3jXi pic.twitter.com/dngzJwi4N3

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 19, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to make a push to bring another championship to LA while Lebron is still playing at as high a level as he is. Anthony Davis isn’t getting any younger and after Austin Reeves, the Lakers don’t have anyone else that should be trusted to score consistently. Adding another high level player that is still only 24 that they can also build around for the future would be a home run.

For the Chicago Bulls, they are in need of a true rebuild and while it might make the most sense to most for that to start with Lavine and Vucevic being traded, White will be the easiest to trade and get the most return. It would be hard on the Bulls and Bulls fans to move him, but there are multiple reasons it could be a great move for the franchise moving forward.

Potential Trade:

Los Angeles Lakers:
-Coby White
-Torrey Craig

Chicago Bulls:
-Jarred Vanderbilt
-Jalen Hood-Schifino
-Maxwell Lewis
-2029 1st Round Pick
-2031 1st Round Pick

"[The Lakers] are looking actively for a big man to add to that lineup… They have assets to play with."

– Shams 👀

(via @PatMcAfeeShow)pic.twitter.com/ZcCITFJEZ0

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 19, 2024

The Lakers are on a 5 game winning streak… and yes AD and Bron is playing on a Different level, but the MF that’s making that engine run is JJ “MF” Reddick!!!

Episode of @RoadTrippinPod drops this week where @RealAClifton @Rjeff24 @channingfrye and myself addressed… pic.twitter.com/UMzScEzBmG

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 19, 2024

Full Analysis of JJ Redick's Basketball Philosophy https://t.co/NpD7DXFKeF

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 19, 2024

Throughout his 15-year NBA career and subsequent media work, JJ Redick has developed a distinct basketball philosophy that bridges old-school fundamentals with modern analytics.

Earlier this year, the Lakers front office announced that former NBA guard and media personality JJ Redick would be the team’s new head coach. This would be Redick’s first attempt at coaching professional sports. Unsurprisingly, with a team as iconic as the Los Angeles Lakers, diehard fans were skeptical of Redick’s ability to deliver. However, what Redick lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in intelligence.

At the core of Redick’s basketball ideology is his revolutionary approach to shooting and off-ball movement. Redick’s approach emphasizes repeatable mechanics, focusing on body alignment before catching the ball. By emphasizing the importance of shot preparation before possession, a shooter can prioritize a quick release without needing perfect form.

Redick’s philosophy is rooted in a belief that constant motion will create confusion for defenders. This involves using screens at varying angles and reading defensive positioning in real-time.

In order to pull off this feat, a team must use conditioning as a weapon. Superior conditioning will allow the Lakers’ offense to wear down defenders giving them the advantage in the forth quarter.

Redick represents a bridge between traditional basketball and the analytics era, focusing on offensive efficiency, emphasizing shot selection (corner 3s, free throws) over athleticism. Redick would rather have his players attempt the statistically intelligent shot than simply feed whatever player is on fire at the moment.

His coaching style focuses on maximizing points per possession, valuing spacing over individual statistics.

Coach Redick’s basketball philosophy represents a modern approach that values both traditional fundamentals and contemporary analytics. His emphasis on movement, shooting excellence, and professional preparation provides a framework for how to obtain basketball success in today’s game. Whether through his playing career or media work, Redick’s influence continues to shape how players and coaches approach the game.

His philosophy reminds us that basketball excellence comes from a combination of precise skill development, intelligent game understanding, and professional habits. As the game continues to evolve, the principles Redick advocates – movement, preparation, and intelligent play – remain fundamental to basketball success at all levels.

Five trends from the Lakers' five-game win streak:
— Contextualizing the streak
— Dalton Knecht's breakout
— LeBron's increased playmaking
— Improved transition defense
— Max Christie's re-emergence and more

Watch: https://t.co/Jk2blhUMvc pic.twitter.com/XbpbXu8c8B

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 19, 2024

Jakob Poeltl is a player many contending teams are hoping hits the trade market.

Poeltl is putting together a career-best season averaging 17.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks.

If the Raptors make Poeltl available by February, expect significant interest. pic.twitter.com/h3GtkJawbq

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) November 19, 2024

Cam Thomas is considered available for trade, per @sam_amick & @TheAthletic

“Fourth-year gunner Cam Thomas (24.6 points per game) failed to come to terms on an extension and is widely considered to be available, but Brooklyn’s list of possibilities hardly ends there. They have… pic.twitter.com/aGxUQp0mpe

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 19, 2024

“The Lakers are second in the league in fourth quarter scoring, averaging 30.8 points per game. James is averaging 6.7 of his 23.3 PPG in the fourth quarter this season — accounting for about 29% of his scoring output on any given night.”
 https://t.co/8eHGBjfYZk

— The Lakers Review (@TheLakersReview) November 19, 2024

With James declaring at the outset of the season his aim to play all 82 games in his 22nd season, there needed to be some protections put in place by coach JJ Redick. The offense has been orchestrated through Anthony Davis, resulting in a career-high 31.1 points per game — and a career-low 27.4 usage percentage for James. Beyond maximizing Davis’ prime, the hope is the distribution can allow James to pick his spots. The Lakers are second in the league in fourth quarter scoring, averaging 30.8 points per game. James is averaging 6.7 of his 23.3 PPG in the fourth quarter this season — accounting for about 29% of his scoring output on any given night. The vision came together for a vintage James performance Saturday in New Orleans when he scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth to help L.A. grind out a road win on the second night of a back-to-back. — Dave McMenamin

The Lakers are the 3 seed in the West 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/dal3Dh1nRI

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) November 19, 2024