Dalton Knecht gets a harsh reminder of how tough life in the NBA can be for a rookie ahead of the final month of the season

Former Tennessee Vols guard Dalton Knecht received a harsh reminder over the last week of how tough life in the NBA can be for a rookie. 

Knecht, a first round selection by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, has had an eventful rookie season. 

The former Vol scored a career-high 37 points just a month into his rookie season back in November. Then just before the All-Star break, Knecht was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that was eventually rescinded due to the Lakers' concerns over center Mark Williams' health (Williams is the player that was heading back to Los Angeles in the deal). 

After the bizarre failed trade, Knecht seemingly settled back in with Los Angeles, averaging 14.3 points per game over the Lakers' first 11 games in March. Knecht averaged 26.2 minutes per game during that stretch. 

Seven of those games, however, were played without superstar forward LeBron James in the lineup. 

James returned to the Lakers' lineup late last week and Knecht has seen his playing time practically vanish as a result. 

The former Tennessee standout has played a total of 12 minutes over the Lakers' last two games. Knecht played a total of 56 minutes for the Lakers in the two games before James' return to the lineup. 

I don't think anyone is expecting Knecht to steal minutes from James, but it's clear that the Lakers, who have lost three games in a row, should be giving the Colorado native more minutes. Knecht has more than proven that he's a capable scorer in the NBA. And when he has a hot hand, he can quickly take over a game -- even at the highest level of basketball. 

For now, though, Knecht just has to worry about controlling what he can control, which is his effort, his preparation, and his mindset. Knecht's time as a featured player in an NBA team's offense will come. Until then, he just needs to soak up as much knowledge as he can while remembering that life in the NBA as a rookie isn't always "fair".