The Los Angeles Lakers had a lucky draft night on Wednesday which saw a lottery pick-worthy prospect in Dalton Knecht fall to them at No. 17. The Tennessee standout had some concerns heading into the draft, mostly due to the fact that he is an older prospect at age 23, but those don’t necessarily apply to the Lakers.
The Lakers want to be championship contenders in the 2024-25 season. They can’t wait around for the development of young prospects. Knecht is as NBA-ready as they come, especially with his elite shooting. He has some defensive concerns but his skill set as a high-level off-ball player on the offensive end makes him a perfect fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Even more perfect than his on-court fit will be Knecht’s new jersey number and nickname. The young shooting guard is switching to wearing No. 4 after donning #3 in college, giving himself the name Knecht Four.
