Rewind the time by 14 months and the Los Angeles Lakers had just landed the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft. Dalton Knecht, widely projected as a top-10 pick, had fallen all the way to No. 17 overall in the annual selection process.
In a shocking twist of fate, Knecht is now preparing to enter the Lakers' 2025 training camp needing to fight for a spot in head coach JJ Redick's rotation.
Statistically speaking, Knecht turned in an impressive rookie season. He averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 three-point field goals made on .461/.376/.762 shooting, twice exceeding 30 points in a single game and seven times posting at least 20.
On a per-36-minute basis, Knecht finished at No. 4 among qualified rookies in points at 17.0 and No. 1 in three-point field goals made at 3.1.
Despite the volume and efficiency with which he produced, Knecht has found himself on thin ice. He played just 19.2 minutes per game as a first-year player and is now a member of a significantly deeper rotation that prioritizes the one area he struggles in: Defense.
With this in mind, Knecht will need to step up and prove that he can provide similar or superior value to his fellow reserves if he's going to avoid falling out of the rotation entirely.
Los Angeles' rotation entering the 2025-26 season is admittedly undecided, but recent roster decisions seem to indicate a direction. Dorian Finney-Smith left to join the Houston Rockets, and the Lakers responded by signing 3-and-D wing Jake LaRavia rather than simply increasing Knecht's minutes.
Los Angeles then signed former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, with it since being revealed that Luka Doncic recruited him to join the purple and gold.
Furthermore, the Lakers made two separate trades to move up at the 2025 NBA Draft and select defensive dynamo Adou Thiero. All signs thus point toward Los Angeles valuing defense above all else among the complementary players.
With this in mind, the offensive-slanted contributions that Knecht provides may result in the 24-year-old having trouble cracking the rotation.
The general expectation is that the starting lineup will consist of Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton. There's also a realistic outcome in which the second unit is made up of Gabe Vincent, Smart, LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jaxson Hayes.
Considering 10-man rotations are already rarer than one might think, Knecht is entering training camp with no margin for error.
Injuries may occur and create openings for the second-year swingman to rise up to the occasion and prove his worth. Rather than depending on an event that no one wants to see transpire, however, Knecht must utilize training camp to secure his status as a key contributor.
It's a twist of fate that few anticipated, but the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft is suddenly fighting to avoid falling out of the Lakers' rotation with training camp nearing.