LOS ANGELES – After a promising start to his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers, things have not always been so smooth for second-year wing Dalton Knecht. Knecht has been unable to crack the Lakers' rotation, and has had to work some assignments with the team's South Bay G League affiliate, which was not the case last year.
Dalton Knecht has played two games with South Bay this season, the most recent coming last Wednesday between the Lakers' home games. After the game, Knecht explained what the Lakers' coaching staff expects from him when he is assigned to the G League, including going back to his college roots.
"They just tell me to play my game. That's really it, just play my game," Knecht said. “One thing I try and focus on is staying in front of my man and capturing D, getting as many rebounds, defensive rebounds and just being Tennessee Dalton.”
In the games he played with South Bay, Knecht certainly looked like 'Tennessee Dalton'. In his G League debut in November, Knecht dropped 30 points while shooting 6-of-10 from 3-point range. In his second game, he finished with 18 points while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out four assists.
And he's also had the opportunity to build chemistry with his Lakers teammates. Last week, Bronny James, Edou Thirou, Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr., Drew Timme and Chris Mannon were all assigned to the South Bay along with Knecht. That group is the Lakers' 'be ready' group, which often scrimmages against each other at the end of practice.
Each of them have received ample time to develop and play with South Bay, and Knecht feels the G League is a good place for live game representatives when there isn't enough time in the NBA. In Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves' affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, that group was matched up against the Timberwolves' rookie big man Jon Beringer and two-way contract players Enrique Freeman and Zion Pullin.
"You get a real opportunity. You're playing with most of the guys in the league, especially this Iowa team. That's a good team," Knecht said. "And we get those reps because at the end of the day it's going to be important. For all of us, it's just getting solid minutes and doing what the team says."
Knecht has played sparingly with the Lakers this season, appearing in 48 games, including one start, in a little more than 10 minutes per game. He's shooting 44.8 percent from the field, but only 30.7 percent from 3-point range, down from 37.6 from a year ago.
But for South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie, Knecht has done everything Redick and the Lakers staff asked of him when he was assigned to South Bay.
Guthrie said, "I think he's done a good job of everything he's been told ... He's comfortable in this environment, comfortable with these players and he's just getting a chance to get into rhythm, get game reps, game opportunities and stay sharp and be ready when his name is called for the Lakers." “Credit to DK for coming down and having the right mindset and approach and really attacking in these minutes and these opportunities.”
