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On Wednesday, Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht had a breakout Summer League debut. He finished with 25 points, and the Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 89-88.
However, he walked out early on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks due to a cramp in his calf, per NBA reporter Jovan Buha. The Lakers ultimately lost to the Mavericks 87-85 in another closely contested game.
Before his injury, Knecht had 15 points and shot 6/16 from the field in 26 minutes of play.
The Lakers' Summer League game against the Dallas Mavericks was defined by one thing and one thing alone. That was the matchup between Bronny James and Cooper Flagg.
But Knecht had made himself out to be a player to watch out for. He is entering his second NBA season after being drafted by the Lakers as the 17th pick in the 2024 Draft.
This past year, Knecht ended the season averaging 9 points per game. Last November, he tied an NBA record with nine three-pointers against the Utah Jazz. Altogether, he finished with 37 points in total.
In February, Knecht was supposed to be traded to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams.
However, the trade was rescinded due to Williams failing a physical. The state of Knecht's injury is unknown.
What the Lakers expect from Dalton Knecht
Knecht has proven himself to be a high-caliber scorer at times. Ultimately, the Lakers aim to develop him into a more consistent scorer and defender.
As a scorer, Knecht has the potential to be what the team calls a “movement shooter” – a player who can score while playing at a high tempo. Furthermore, the Lakers are looking to strengthen their defense with Knecht being a crucial focus.
Last year, he finished with a defensive rating of 117.9. The Lakers are looking for him to become a more vigorous defender and be able to stay with his man.
If he can do those things, he could find himself in the starting lineup.
