Is Dalton Knecht playing against Sacramento Kings? Latest on Lakers 1st round pick's status for Summer League (July 6)

Dalton Knecht and the LA Lakers will tip off their Summer League campaign with a matchup against the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Fans can expect to see several prospects and youngsters on both sides, with LeBron James' son, Bronny James, who is expected to play.

The Lakers' number 17 pick from the 2024 NBA draft, Knecht, is also set to take the court. The team is ushering in a new era under rookie head coach JJ Redick, who is hopeful that the 23-year-old will make an instant impact.

Knecht complemented his college career at Tennessee after two seasons at North Colorado. A talented offensive player, the athlete converted 39.7% of his 3-pointers and averaged 21.7 points 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in the 2023-24 campaign.

He has signed a $7.9 million contract with the Lakers and is set to make his Summer League debut alongside Bronny and Maxwell Lewis, the Lakers' second-round pick at number 40 in the draft.

Dalton Knecht on the best player in the NBA

Knecht was proclaimed as the steal of the 2024 NBA draft by Dallas Mavericks’ Theo Pinson, who believes that Knecht was the best player in the 2024 class, and that the only reason he was picked late was his age.

“The steal of the draft? Oh, Lakers' [Dalton] Knecht," Pinson said. "From Tennessee. He's a bucket. I would’ve taken him first pick, but you know how everybody else is, 'he's too old' and all that s**t. He's the best player in the draft. He can play right now.”

Set to join the first active father-son duo on the same team, the athlete does not see LeBron James as his favorite player of all time. In an interview with SLAM Online, Knecht named Kevin Durant as his favorite, alongside Candance Parker from the WNBA.

While Dalton Knecht was not a top-15 pick, he is largely seen as a player who can immediately make an impact in the NBA. A prolific scorer and willing defender, Knecht often guarded his opponents’ best players during his college career and hopes for a seamless transition into the NBA.

There is plenty of scope for improvement in his overall 45.1% shooting split in the 2023-24 campaign, but that is something Dalton Knecht should be able to work on with the Lakers.