Drafting Dalton Knecht opens the door for Lakers to trade for a star

Knecht may be just the guy that Los Angeles needs. The 6-foot-5 guard is a proven scorer, averaging 21.7 points and shooting 39.7% from three-point range for the Tennessee Volunteers last season. At 23 years old, Knecht’s age was a primary deterrent for lottery teams, but for the Lakers, Knecht’s experience plays in their favor. 

Knecht is a prospect who should be able to be plugged directly into the Lakers’ rotation and contribute immediately to a team that wants to win now. Knecht’s ability to score from almost anywhere on the floor will surely benefit the Lakers. His efforts from behind the arc will also come in handy for a Lakers team that needs a boost in perimeter shooting. 

The acquisition of Knecht could open some doors for the Lakers to create cap space and improve other areas of the roster.

The Lakers need talent as soon as possible if they want to contend, preferably in the form of a third star to ease the burdens of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. With this in mind, Austin Reaves may be one of the players that needs to be moved. 

Reaves has been solid for the Lakers for the past three seasons, putting up a career-high 15.9 points per contest along with 5.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds this past year. 

Reaves’ efforts have made him the Lakers’ most valuable asset outside of James and Davis. Earlier this season, rumors circulated that a potential Dejounte Murray trade to Los Angeles fell through because the Lakers were not willing to include Reaves in the deal. The Lakers may now have the opportunity to revisit this.

Knecht’s experience gives the Lakers a reliable prospect to fall back on if they choose to deal Reaves. 

Moving Reaves, who is currently in the second year of a four-year, $56M contract, would provide a lot more leeway for the Lakers to negotiate deals without having to surrender as many assets. 

If the Lakers can circle back around and grab a guy like Murray for a package that includes Reaves the team could drastically improve their playmaking, and perimeter defense. This move is not limited to Murray as names such as Trae Young have also been tossed around in trade speculation. 

This would all depend on how much faith the Lakers have in Knecht to embrace a significant role quickly, but the move has certainly created more opportunities for the organization to improve.