The Los Angeles Lakers kept their draft picks! Jokes aside, the team was active in the 2024 NBA Draft, selecting two prospects who look to make a big difference from the jump. Let’s review each of the team’s picks.
Round 1, Pick 17: Dalton Knecht, SF, Tennessee
Dalton Knecht hit 40% from three and named best SF in the nation 🎯
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 27, 2024
Lakers got one 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LVtNf9ywHe
Knecht was supposed to go in the top ten in the draft. But, he surprisingly fell to the Lakers at 17th overall.
The former Volunteer product fell mostly due to his age (23), with other teams looking to go for younger players. But, the reasoning comes with a possibility that the particular prospect may have a lack of experience.
That lack of experience is something that is not associated with Knecht. The small forward spent his first two years at Northeastern Community College in Colorado. Then, he spent the 2021 and 2022 season at Northern Colorado. After averaging just 8.9 points, he improved exponentially to 20.2 PPG as a Bear in 2022.
Then, Knecht took his talents to Tennessee, where he shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc and averaged 21.7 PPG. During March Madness, he has some solid scoring outputs including 37 points against Purdue in the Elite Eight.
The SEC Player of the Year is one who can score at all three levels but is a dangerous shooter from three that will help space the floor. Though there isn’t much of a ceiling, Knecht has a high floor. Many fans may look back at this draftee as a clear steal at 17th overall. The Lakers are happy they were able to land the 6’6″ small forward, who LeBron James has familiarity with.
Grade: A+
Round 2, Pick 55: Bronny James, G, USC
Number Nine: Bronny James. pic.twitter.com/I91YjMEXAZ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 28, 2024
It actually happened. LeBron James will be playing with his son Bronny, something that a lot of us are shocked to see!
Kidding. But, seriously, it’s a heartwarming story. The worst thing that could have happened is the Lakers reaching for Bronny at 17th overall. But, considering the draft position they were in, taking the former USC product.
Now, Bronny’s character should not be questioned. Throughout all of the criticism and questions surround him, he has answered every question asked to him with class.
But, the play on the court is a whole different story. An unfortunate congenital heart defect required a procedure before the start of his freshman season. His first action on the court came in early December, playing 17 minutes against Long Beach State and scoring just four points.
James was inconsistent, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Not eye-popping statistics, to say the least.
But, Bronny has shown he can make an impact defensively early with his energy and effort. There will be plenty of time to work on his offensive game but has shown the ability to score in transition and make jump shots.
He does need to work on his shot beyond the arc (26.7%), but it’s more of a consistency thing than anything.
In the end, this is a great story. A father-and-son duo on the same court is something worth watching when the 2024-2025 season rolls around. But, Bronny has plenty of work to do if he truly wants to be a mainstay on the Lakers for the rest of his career.
Grade: B
LAKERS 2024 DRAFT OVERALL GRADE: B+
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