The Los Angeles Lakers may have just gotten the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft. This comes in the form of Tennessee standout Dalton Knecht, who was somehow still available when the Lakers were selecting at No. 17 overall.
Based on general manager Rob Pelinka’s statement, it appears that the Lakers did not hesitate in scooping up the SEC Player of the Year as soon as they realized he was still available.
Los Angeles Lakers News: Rob Pelinka Reacts to Getting Dalton Knecht at No. 17
Pelinka spoke to the press shortly after the Lakers selected Knecht 17th overall. According to the high-ranking LA executive, they were completely surprised by the fact that the 6-foot-6 guard was not selected earlier in the draft:
“We would’ve never imagined a player as skilled and sort of perfect for our needs would be there for us as Dalton Knecht,” Pelinka said. “We had him as a top-10 player unanimously atop our scouting boards.”
Rob Pelinka said he and the rest of the Lakers’ front office ranked Dalton Knecht as a top 10 pick pic.twitter.com/EpWCF7BMjf
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 27, 2024
It’s no secret that LeBron James thrives when he has shooters around him, and the Lakers have just added one of the best ones in this draft class. Last season, Knecht knocked down 2.6 triples per game on an efficient 39.7-percent clip, and this is exactly the type of outside firepower the Lakers could use.
As Pelinka indicated, LA never expected to get Knecht with their 17th pick, but they’re clearly more than happy to pounce on the opportunity.
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