Quick, when was the last time Dalton Knecht had a good game?
Considering he had a bad Summer League and a lousy preseason, he hasn’t had a decent statistical game since the spring when he scored 27 points against the Blazers in the final regular season game.
Still, the good games have to come eventually, or else all he’ll be doing is riding the bench.
With the Blazers in town on Monday and seven Lakers out, Knecht got more minutes on the floor and took advantage. He scored 16 of the bench’s 18 points. Knecht also had a pair of rebounds and steals in LA’s loss.
While the result didn’t go the Lakers’ way, it could be the first step in Knecht looking again like the promising young player he was at the start of his rookie year.
“I think he can build off this,” Redick said. “I mean, it wasn’t a perfect game, but he had a really good stretch there and it wasn’t just making shots. It was playing with some tenacity, getting out in transition and I just continue to believe in him as a player and understand that it’s it’s gonna be a process with him and he understands that and I talk about that all the time. But I have a very high belief in him.”
It’s great for Knecht’s confidence that Redick consistently supports and uplifts the two-year guard. Establishing a role in the NBA as a young player is so tough.
Minutes are limited, and whatever a player does, good or bad, during that time gets magnified. With Knecht struggling, it’s been harder and harder to see how he can fit in this roster that wants to win now.
However, the Lakers being short-handed provides him an opportunity for Knecht to play more than usual and make a case that he needs to be part of the rotation.
Playing decently in one game won’t be enough, though. Knecht needs to be a player you can depend on to consistently play at a high defensive level, regardless of how well he is shooting.
Monday’s game was a step in the right direction. But for it to be a trend that indicates a rise in Knecht’s play, he’ll need to start stacking good games together.
Hopefully, Monday’s performance is a sign of things to come and not just a rare positive game for Knecht. He has the raw talent to be an elite shooter and a player at this level, he just needs to put it all together.
