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What is Charlotte getting in Dalton Knecht? A look at the newest Hornets swingman

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Matt Alquiza | Last updated Feb 6, 2025 8:44 AM ET

Charlotte Hornets fans have had a complicated relationship with Dalton Knecht since his college career ended last spring. For much of the 2024 NBA Draft cycle, Knecht was linked to the Hornets, and those that follow the draft process closely became resigned to the fact that he would be suiting up in purple and teal pinstripes come October.

Come draft night, Charlotte opted to pass on Knecht for Tidjane Salaün, a defensible move that largely revolves around Salaün's limitless potential as a 19-year-old. Outrage was the emotion du jour on draft night, and that same feeling has permeated at times during Salaün and Knecht's rookie campaign.

Tidjane's blistering preseason took some heat for passing on Knecht off of Charlotte's front office, but the former Tennessee Volunteer has had a handful of outrageous scoring displays as a rookie that have fired up the mean tweeter's active thumbs in the months since the draft.

All of that is now a moot point after the Hornets acquired Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2031 first round pick in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. What are the Hornets getting from the centerpiece of this transaction? Lets discuss.

Dalton Knecht is a certified bucket

Knecht's per game averages don't jump off the page. The rookie averages 9.4 points per contest (7th among all rookies) 2.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists on 46/35/82 shooting splits. At times, Knecht has struggled to find his shot in his maiden campaign, an understandable stuggle for the a first-year NBA player. At others, he's been lights out.

His 37-point outing against the Utah Jazz is peak Dalton Knecht. He's a three-point marksman that possesses high-end spatial awareness on the offensive end of the court. Knecht positions himself well around lead ball handlers and fires up quick jumpers off the catch with a textbook release.

Charles Lee often talks about "running patterns" and filling the correct lanes on fast breaks. Charlotte, as currently constructed, doesn't have a healthy player that strikes fear into opposing defense as a fastbreak floor spacer. Grant Williams made a massive impact as a trailer on the break that knocked down threes; Knecht can fill that role and more as a sniper in transition.

On top of his shooting acumen, Knecht is a bit bouncier than he gets credit for. He's a solid vertical athlete that can attack the rim on the break, an archetype that should slide in nicely next to a healthy LaMelo Ball.

In summary, Knecht is the perfect fit on offense for the Hornets. His floor-spacing skills will translate to Charlotte immediately and pay dividends both in the half-court and in transition. Charlotte, outside of Brandon Miller, doesn't employ a movement-shooter who can knock down shots like Knecht, making him a valuable piece in the Hornets' long-term rebuild.

Knecht's defense on the other hand...

Knecht is a liability on defense. There's no way around it.

According to Cleaning the Glass, Knecht's block (0.2%, 8th percentile) and steal (0.8%, 4th percentile) percentages are among the worst in the NBA. His lack of lateral agility and impactful wingspan severely hamstring his ability to contain opposing guards and wings on the perimeter. Sam Veceine of The Athletic put it this way:

"...his defense has shown zero improvement, at times to the visible frustration of the coaching staff during games. This was a significant issue for him at Tennnessee and Northern Colorado. At nearly 24 years old, Knecht isn’t exactly youthful, either. He should have played enough basketball at this point to be further along with simple things, such as consistently making timely defensive rotations."

I've always liked the idea of Knecht as a super-sub, offensive weapon off of a contending team's bench, but he won't have that luxury with the Hornets in 2025. He's going to be freed up to make a ton of mistakes on defense for a lottery-bound team that needs his scoring punch more than they need him to be a wing-stopper. Any sort of flashes on defense from Knecht between now and April will be welcomed, but that's not why he's coming to Charlotte.

In all, Knecht represents an offensive upgrade from the Josh Green, Cody Martin, and Josh Okogie's of the world, while in turn representing a defensive downgrade. However, with the move, Charlotte added a completely different archetype on the wing than the trio they currently employ, which should help head coach Charles Lee with some rotation problems he's faced in his short tenure with the Hornets.