Insider: Dalton Knecht's value on the market has fallen
His rookie season was a rollercoaster. He had a hot streak in November, but he went into a deep freeze afterward and saw his playing time diminish. The wing was then included in the failed trade for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams in February, and afterward, observers wondered how he would respond mentally.
Knecht's production rose again in March, but he fell out of coach JJ Redick's rotation afterward, and his play during summer league didn't exactly inspire any optimism about how he will do this coming season.
He has been involved in multiple trade rumors this summer as Los Angeles has looked to land a 3-and-D wing. But insider Jovan Buha said on a recent episode of "Buha's Block" that Knecht's value on the market has fallen.
'Summer League has not helped Knecht's stock, and I don't think at this point he is valued as a first-round pick, in terms of an asset valuation. That was what I heard in Vegas from talking to multiple people, non-Lakers people, just gauging what would you give for Dalton Knecht? Or if the Lakers are putting Dalton Knecht in a trade, what is he worth? And the feedback I got was, no longer worth a first-round valuation.'
How one plays in summer league doesn't necessarily translate to the NBA season, and it is still possible that Knecht shows some definite growth this fall and winter. After all, by his own admission, he has been doing three workouts a day this offseason.
But if Lakers fans are expecting him to fetch that missing piece to the championship puzzle this summer, they will likely be disappointed.
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