The Los Angeles Lakers made big news by getting rid of Dalton Knecht today to follow the NBA roster size rules. Many Lakers fans are disappointed since it wasn’t that long ago that Knecht was expected to be a major part of the future. The Lakers drafted Knecht with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as a sharpshooter from three-point range. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out and Knecht is now out of a job.
LeBron James is getting dragged into this story, despite no longer being on the Lakers. An old quote from LeBron resurfaced with fans calling out for it:
“They didn’t find didn’t find DK… the other 16 teams f****d it up. Did anybody watch him?”
James publicly criticized the 16 teams who selected other rookies over Knecht and implied he’d be a big piece for the Lakers. A popular belief exists that the Lakers drafted Knecht for LeBron to give him another shooter to pass to.
Knecht showed some flashes of potential before the Lakers placed him in a trade to the Charlotte Hornets. Injury concerns with Mark Williams saw the Lakers backing out and bringing back Knecht where things fell apart.
Why LeBron James Publicly Vouched For Dalton Knecht
The comment from LeBron was bold since he didn’t have to say anything too bold beyond offering support. However, it turns out that James truly believed in Knecht and hoped he would become part of the Lakers’ young core with rising star Austin Reaves.
LeBron also went on the record for Reaves before anyone knew too much about him to show his vision. The problem is that James also has a negative track record for influencing draft picks. Shabazz Napier was a prospect that LeBron once vouched for having All-Star potential.
The Miami Heat drafted Napier to impress James, but he left them anyway in free agency for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Napier never materialized into a star and showed LeBron’s eye for talent can fail badly. Knecht may be of the same tier as a player that James saw something special in during his college tenure that couldn’t translate to the NBA.
LeBron James Was Rooting Against Dalton Knecht
The current context of the Lakers decision likely saw LeBron rooting for his son Bronny James to keep his roster spot. Lakers management had to release one player and saw Bronny on that short list of realistic names who could be cut.
Knecht ultimately lost his job due to the Lakers seeing more potential out of Bronny and Jaden Hardy as young guards. The shooting of Knecht never thriving saw head coach JJ Redick fully losing confidence in him last season.
Los Angeles backing out of the Hornets trade saw Knecht never mentally recovering from that to make the most of his playing time. Another team will likely take the chance on Knecht due to his age, but his clock is ticking. Knecht must make the most of his next opportunity or find his way out of the NBA for good.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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