Lakers learning harsh Dalton Knecht lesson only JJ Redick can fix

Los Angeles Lakers wing Dalton Knecht has become a polarizing figure. Many have praised him for his uncanny ability to shoot the lights out and score with impressive volume, but his fit with the team has been questioned given the matching nature of his flaws and those of the team’s stars.

It’s an unfortunate truth that has positioned head coach JJ Redick to be the only individual who can fix the fatal structural flaw of Knecht not necessarily fitting with the team’s best players.

Knecht’s defensive inconsistency has been a steady talking point since the start of the 2024-25 season. It was amplified by the arrival of Luka Doncic and continued development of Austin Reaves, who have become the team’s top two offensive players in 2025-26.

Unfortunately, neither Doncic nor Reaves are particularly heralded for their own defensive consistency—thus making it difficult to justify playing a third passive defender.

That’s materialized in 2025-26 in the form of Knecht playing a grand total of two possessions alongside Doncic and Reaves, per Cleaning the Glass. Considering Doncic and Reaves have already played 224 possessions together, that’s a shocking confirmation’s of Knecht’s place in the rotation.

What may be most telling of all, however, is whom the Lakers have prioritized over Redick during the minutes that Doncic and Reaves have shared the court.

Lakers can’t find Dalton Knecht a place alongside offensive-minded stars

The Lakers have played at least 10 possessions with six five-man lineups that include both Doncic and Reaves in 2025-26. The perimeter players who have featured into those units have been Rui Hachimura, Bronny James, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent.

A case can be made that Knecht is a better scorer and shooter than each of those players, but they share a common trait that he hasn’t yet displayed: Reliable defensive intensity.

As such, Redick is taking a logical approach by balancing elite offensive production from his stars with dependable defense from his supporting cast. A similar approach will likely be taken once LeBron James makes his debut, albeit with a need to adapt arising.

In the event that Knecht becomes a more reliable defender, the Lakers will likely provide him with the type of minutes that Hachimura and LaRavia have received.

In the meantime, however, Redick must figure out how to properly feature Knecht in his rotation. Perhaps it’s disappointing to see him still struggle defensively, but he continues to prove to be able to offer value that would benefit the second unit.

Los Angeles is, after all, 5-1 when Knecht plays at least 10 minutes and has benefited from 16 and 15-point performances early in the season.

Considering Knecht has produced in this manner with an uncharacteristically faulty jump shot, there’s ample reason to praise his performances. It may not be perfect, but he’s already making his mark early in 2025-26 and needs the opportunity to grow without fear of losing minutes.

As a scorer for a defensive-minded second unit, Knecht needs Redick to find him a steady place in the rotation and trust that he can grow within his role.