Lakers must give Dalton Knecht a chance after latest injury updates

It’s time for Dalton Knecht to show he’s ready.

As the Los Angeles Lakers head into March, they have reasons for both optimism and disappointment. Despite owning the best record in the NBA since Jan. 15, they have just experienced back-to-back games in which key players were lost to injuries.

With Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves both battling injuries, the Lakers must give rookie Dalton Knecht the chance to step up and play significant minutes.

Knecht has faced a frustrating rookie season, particularly in terms of his playing time. When given the chance to play 20 or more minutes, he has thrived as a scorer, but concerns about his defense have limited his opportunities.

These concerns are not unfounded, as Los Angeles has posted its worst defensive rating during the minutes Knecht has been on the floor.

Despite these legitimate worries, there’s a real possibility that the Lakers will need Knecht to play important minutes, especially in big games like the playoffs. Rather than waiting until the postseason to give him more responsibility, the Lakers should act quickly and allow him to prove himself now.

With Hachimura and Reaves sidelined, the Lakers will need to replace the production from their third and fourth-leading scorers, and Knecht is well-suited to help in that area.

Dalton Knecht is the best option to help fill the scoring gap

Hachimura and Reaves have combined for 32.4 points per game in the 2024-25 season. Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 26—just before Hachimura suffered a left knee strain—this duo averaged 40.8 points per game.

While the rookie won’t replace all of that production on his own, a healthy Doncic combined with a resurgent Knecht could help the Lakers offset some of the losses.

One key to Hachimura’s recent improvement was his stellar three-point shooting. Over the mentioned period, he averaged 17.9 points and 2.5 made threes while shooting 42.2 percent from deep.

Meanwhile, Knecht has already proven himself as one of the Lakers’ top three-point shooters and a reliable scoring threat when given the minutes.

In games where he plays 20 minutes or more, Knecht is averaging 13.6 points and 2.4 made threes on 39.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. This includes an impressive 20.5 points per game in the eight contests where he has played at least 30 minutes.

With five 20-point games, including a 37-point explosion against the Utah Jazz, Knecht has shown he can score at a high level.

While there’s no doubt he’ll need to improve defensively to help the Lakers maintain their top-tier form, the best option to replace their offensive loss is to give Knecht the opportunity to learn through experience.

There may be early challenges as he adjusts to a larger role, but his potential is clear for a team that selected him with the No. 17 pick in the

2024 NBA Draft for a reason.