The Los Angeles Lakers will be off, and enjoying the fact that they will be nowhere near this year's NBA Play-In Tournament, until their postseason officially starts on Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. JJ Redick will be afforded the time to figure out who his go-to guys will be for this series in the lead-up.
The last few weeks have offered all those watching an opportunity to identify which members of the Lakers are going to be pivotal to this team's playoff run. The starting lineup is set in stone and the two most trusted members of the team's bench have emerged clear as day for everyone to see.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent will undoubtedly both figure into Redick's plans during this playoff run. When those two are hitting their shots, the Lakers offense has proven tough to slow down.
Rotations tend to shrink in the postseason, but there should be some room left there for one more man to squeeze in off the bench for some key minutes past those initial seven. For Dalton Knecht, that is the opportunity the Lakers rookie will be fighting for.
Knecht will look to make up lost ground
Los Angeles finished the 2024-25 regular season going 6-4 over their last 10 games. However, the loss against the Portland Trail Blazers in the season finale can be largely viewed as a write-off. What became notable in those last 10 games for Knecht was his diminishing role in the rotation.
Of the Lakers to make at least six appearances during that stretch, the sharpshooting wing ranked 10th on the team in minutes per game, averaging only 11.6. That number is actualy inflated by the matchup against the Blazers too. Without the 37 minutes played against Portland, Knecht only averaged 8.3 minutes a night in the eight appearances he made.
As the schedule moved closer to the postseason, the former Tennessee star dropped below players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Jordan Goodwin in the pecking order for the Lakers' second unit. This was a trend that members of the media picked up on.
"We haven't given up on Dalton. We feel like he can help us win a game in the playoffs," Redick told LoJo Media.
The Lakers coach even told Daniel Starkand and the other reporters present that it could be 'multiple games.' Those are opportunities that will not come easy for Knecht.
The best chance that the former 2024 first-round pick will get should likely come in moments where the Lakers are trailing and need an offensive boost. The 3-point marksman offers more upside on offense than a player like Vanderbilt or Goodwin.
Knecht will need to ensure his defensive play does not force him off the court. The first-year pro has one of the shakier defensive ratings over the last 10 games, averaging 116.7. Opponents have enjoyed a +4.6 swing in offensive rating when Knecht has been on the court in 2024-25 overall.
This may not be the season for the Lakers young sharpshooter to leave an irrefutable mark on the postseason. However, it is important for Knecht to build his confidence and carve out a bigger role with each passing opportunity. Eight good minutes one night can turn into 10, and then 15, the next time out. Each of those instances will need to have more value added than the previous time out.
