wasn’t exactly how anyone drew it up, but Dalton Knecht ended up in a pretty good spot. His tumble down the draft board last week ended up pushing him all the way down to No. 17 overall with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The deal has an average salary of $4.6 million per year. He’ll make $3.8 million during his rookie season in 2024-25. The Lakers hold club options for the third and fourth years of the contract. Knecht will become a restricted free agent in 2028.
The 6-6 guard was a projected top ten selection in last week’s NBA Draft, but he ended up sliding — reportedly due to defensive concerns along with his age. However, the 23-year-old now gets a chance to have a role on a potential playoff team as LeBron James ramps up for one final push towards the NBA Finals.
