Analysis, fits for all 58 NBA Draft picks

Analysis, fits for all 58 NBA Draft picks from John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie https://t.co/c6Pjg7ryfn

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) June 27, 2024

17. Los Angeles Lakers
Dalton Knecht | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Tennessee

Vecenie’s ranking: 9

Dalton Knecht is this draft’s most ready-made NBA scorer. He’ll be able to step in immediately and space the floor for his teammates and knock down shots. On top of that, he’s a good athlete who can attack closeouts. He’s also a professional cutter who runs well out of actions. Having said that, where you think Knecht’s upside sits focuses on two areas. First, what level do you think his athleticism will allow him to reach on defense? Can he become a non-liability? Can he be an average player? He plays on that end as if he cares, so that is promising. There’s upside given his quickness and athleticism. But early on, it might be rough. Second, where do you think he can get to as an on-ball playmaker? Can he blend passing with his scoring better? Can he keep developing his craft in ball screens and handoffs?

The more I watched him, the more I thought that the scheme he lands in will be important to accessing that on-ball upside. Knecht can help anyone in the NBA immediately as a shooter. But to get the most out of him, the key is to put him in an offense that runs a ton of sets, allows him to play off movement and uses the threat of his jumper in the way Tennessee did this year. Utah at No. 10 stands out as a great spot with Will Hardy running a lot of different actions to get shooters free. He would excel in Miami’s scheme under Erik Spoelstra, whose offense would allow him to flow into the types of ball screen and handoff actions where he found success this year with Tennessee. No matter what, I see Knecht as a successful rotation player because of the shooting. But the upside is a bit more situationally based if you’re looking at him as a top-10 pick. Realistically, where I’d rank him if I was working for a team would be extremely dependent on the kind of offense I planned to run. There are teams I’d have him ranked in the top-five for in this class.

Hollinger’s analysis: The Lakers get a JJ Redick clone! In all seriousness, if they weren’t trading the pick, then Knecht was a pretty obvious pick for a team that is both desperate for shooting help and on a win-now timeline. The Lakers have to feel pretty good he fell this far and didn’t leave them making a more speculative choice. Knecht’s theoretical upside is more limited than some other players in this range, but the Lakers can’t wait.