(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers took a different approach to most teams.
They didn’t care about Dalton Knecht’s age, and they didn’t hesitate to take him with the No. 17 selection.
According to ESPN insider Bobby Marks, that was the right decision.
Talking on the UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio Show, the former Brooklyn Nets executive claimed that it was a home run of a pick, adding that he didn’t know how other teams could let him slip that far.
“It’s a home run” @BobbyMarks42 on the Lakers picking up @DaltonKnecht3 / @ESPNLosAngeles pic.twitter.com/7vlfwQPrt8
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) June 27, 2024
Marks gathered intel around the league, knowing that Knecht had impressed with his play and that his interviews and medical tests had also gone well, with age being the only knock on him.
Nonetheless, it didn’t matter whether he was 23 or 18; he could ball.
The Lakers are trying to win now, and Knecht makes perfect sense for them.
He spent five years in college polishing his game and learning all fundamentals, so they can now use him as a plug-and-play rotational piece.
He could have a similar impact to what Jaime Jaquez Jr. had with the Miami Heat last season.
More often than not, teams get too caught up in the age narrative.
Knecht proved that he could put the ball through the hoop from all three levels, and there’s no reason to believe his shot-making skills won’t translate to the next level.
Even if his ceiling might be lower, his floor could be higher, and he should be expected to log minutes and get touches right out of the gate.
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