JJ Redick Says Dalton Knecht Has Been Lakers’ Best Offensive Player in Camp

Oct 5, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer (61) in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

It was a rough rookie season for Los Angeles Lakers wing Dalton Knecht.

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Shocking falling to the Lakers in the middle of the first round, many projected that the Tennessee product could contend for All-Rookie honors as an older first-year player on a team needing perimeter shooting.

Things didn't pan out that way — as Knecht was often questioned for a lack of prowess on the defensive end of the floor coupled with questionable decision-making on offense.

It led to Knecht temporarily being dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in the now-rescinded Mark Williams trade. Understandably, Knecht came back to the team and suffered from some mental demons. He became a guy that played sparingly down the stretch.

JJ Redick said Dalton Knecht leads the Lakers in points scored in their preseason scrimmages by 42 points.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 13, 2025

Interestingly enough as the page was turned on the 2024-25 season, Knecht has a new outlook. There's a real world where the Colorado native can see consistent play time with LeBron James slated to be out indefinitely. His play in the preseason has caught the eyes of many — including head coach JJ Redick.

Dalton Knecht, 2026 Most Improved Player?

According to Redick, Knecht has been the team's best offensive player during the recent training camp period. As was the case last year, a caveat with that praise involves a real need for Knecht to be better defensively.

As a rookie, Knecht averaged 9.1 PPG on 46.1 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from 3-point range. His biggest offensive explosion came last November against the Utah Jazz when Knecht scored 37 points. This included going 9-of-12 from beyond the arc.

JJ Redick says Dalton Knecht has had the best offensive training camp out of any Lakers player - they track the data and he’s scored 42 points more than any other teammate in live play and at about a 60% shooting clip. But Redick says Knecht’s ceiling will be up to his defense.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 13, 2025

There's no questioning Knecht's scoring ability. He seems to be a player, like many youngsters, going through battles of inconsistency and less-than-ideal confidence.

In order to gain Redick's trust as a possible rotation option, Knecht will have to show real improvement defensively, as well as in terms of being a more well-rounded player.

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The rookie-to-sophomore jump usually sees some visible improvement. As the team is currently constructed, there's a world where Knecht is somewhere in the second unit fighting for minutes along with Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, and rookie Adou Thiero.

Should Knecht show growth in doing the little things, coupled with his ability to shoot, it would be surprising if he's not a real contributor for this team in 2025-26.

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