Though things wasn’t precisely as planned, Dalton Knecht found himself in a favorable situation in the end. Due to his fall in the draft rankings last week, he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at pick No. 17 overall.
Knecht signed his rookie contract today.
The annual salary under the deal is an average of $4.6 million. In 2024–2025, he will earn $3.8 million in his debut season. For the third and fourth years of the deal, the Lakers have club options. In 2028, Knecht will be eligible for restricted free agency.
The 6-6 guard was ranked as a top 10 pick in the NBA Draft last week, but he fell out of the running, presumably as a result of age and defensive issues. However, while LeBron James prepares for one last push into the NBA Finals, the 23-year-old now gets an opportunity to play a part on a potential playoff squad.
Additionally, he becomes JJ Redick’s first-round draft choice as head coach.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka stated last week, “I was joking with Coach Redick upstairs that we’ve found a movement shooter to match his skills as a player, and he was already at his whiteboard drawing up pindowns and ATO and actions where he could run a movement shooter off screen.” “I believe his thoughts are already working on scripts for Dalton.”
Knecht will provide Los Angeles with immediate offensive and perimeter shooting. Knecht’s three-point percentage in Knoxville was 39.7 percent during his one and only season there. He scored 30 points or more on eight separate times, averaging 21.7 points per game. Last season, Rick Barnes used Knecht to run his offense, putting his shooting off screens and allowing Dalton to attack the rim with his size and muscle. In the end, he was awarded the SEC Player of the Year title and placed second in the National Player of the Year competition.
Knecht’s next assignment is to watch NBA Summer League activity, which starts this weekend for the Lakers. Los Angeles’ schedule includes games on ESPN on Saturday and July 22nd, to start things off.
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