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Los Angeles may have found the “perfect fit” in one of their rookies this season.
The 23-year-old No. 17 pick out of Tennessee, Dalton Knecht, has been gaining recognition from several NBA scouts for his role on the 2024 Lakers squad.
“The Lakers are a perfect fit for him — if he keeps making shots when LeBron passes to him,” one NBA scout told ESPN’s Marc Stein. “We have seen it for many years: As long as you make shots, LeBron will like you. He’s also got AD [Anthony Davis] to protect him defensively and JJ [Redick] is a great coach for him because, as a player, JJ was him.”
The 6’6″ guard has been a perfect addition to the Lakers, embracing his role as a rookie among superstars and contributing to winning in any way he can.
Knecht has averaged 11.5 points this season with 2.8 rebounds while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and a stellar 93.3 percent from the free-throw line.
The rookie posted a career-high of 37 points last Tuesday against the Utah Jazz, shooting 9-of-12 from beyond the arc and 75 percent from the field.
He has proven to be a reliable go-to option off the bench and has even earned some recent starts, averaging 33.6 minutes per game over the last five contests.
Knecht and the Lakers will aim to bounce back from a 127-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets as they face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Footprint Center.
