Rookie Dalton Knecht leads Lakers Bench against Kings

The Los Angeles Lakers seemed new and improved.

Anthony Davis has seen a resurgence of his former self at the MVP level, LeBron James continues to put up otherworldly production, and the team’s newest head coach, JJ Reddick, appears to have the team on the right track.

One of the bigger additions to the Lakers’ 2024-25 draft is rookie Dalton Knecht, one of the biggest sliders of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Teams vied for Knecht, likely due to his age, but that didn’t stop Los Angeles from taking him at No. 17.

Now the rookie is playing valuable minutes alongside and against the NBA’s biggest stars.

In Saturday’s late game, Knecht was the leading scorer off the Lakers bench, adding 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting – including 40% 3-point shooting – to help the team take a win against the Kings to take home and maintain the undefeated record. . He finished with the most bench minutes at 20, compared to Max Christie’s 18.

Helping beat the Kings was a significant step forward for the rookie, as Sacramento will likely compete for the same Playoffs spots as the Lakers.

Even adding just buckets and just one assist, Knecht finished with a +16 plus-minus in the final win.

A powerful shooter and cerebral scorer, Knecht will undoubtedly continue to earn the trust of his Lakers teammates and coaches, trading that for even more playing time this season.

Los Angeles will look to keep its winning streak alive against the Suns on Monday, October 28.

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