Tennessee Volunteers part ways with key player to close rival

It wasn’t exactly as anyone envisioned it, but Dalton Knecht ended up in a very excellent position.

His fall down the draft board last week brought him all the way down to No. 17 overall with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Knecht officially signed his rookie contract today.

The Lakers have inked their first-round pick: https://t.co/D7MiHV4BuH

— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) July 3, 2024

The deal pays an average of $4.6 million per year. He will earn $3.8 million during his debut season in 2024-25. The Lakers have club options for the third and fourth years of the contract. Knecht will be a restricted free agent in 2028.

The 6-6 guard was a projected top ten pick in last week’s NBA Draft, but he fell — apparently owing to defensive concerns and his age. However, the 23-year-old now has an opportunity to play for a potential playoff squad as LeBron James prepares for one final push to the NBA Finals.

He is also the first draft pick for new head coach JJ Redick.

“I was joking with Coach Redick upstairs that we’ve found a movement shooter to match his skills as a player, and he was already at his whiteboard drawing up pindowns and ATO and actions where he could run a movement shooter off screen,” Lakers VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said last week. “I think his mind is already working on drawing up plays for Dalton.”

Knecht will provide instant offense and perimeter shooting to Los Angeles. Knecht shot 39.7 percent from three during his one season in Knoxville. He averaged 21.7 points per game and scored 30 or more points on eight separate occasions. Last season, Rick Barnes directed his offense through Knecht, utilizing his shooting off screens and allowing Dalton to use his size and muscle to attack the hoop. The eventual result was an SEC Player of the Year trophy and a second-place finish in the National Player of the Year voting.

Knecht’s next assignment will be NBA Summer League action, which begins this weekend for the Lakers. Los Angeles’ schedule begins this Saturday on ESPN and runs through July 22nd.