The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to see a sophomore leap from Dalton Knecht, their 17th overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft. The sharpshooter from Tennessee had an uneven rookie campaign, shooting 43.9% from beyond the arc between October and November and 42.7% from deep between March and April, but only 28.5% in the months in between. <\/p>\n
Knecht’s showing at the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League did not inspire much confidence either, but that was explained by both him and the Lakers. The second-year wing put in so much work in the weeks after the season ended, that he was burnt out by the time the summer came around<\/a>. <\/p>\n As is the case with all rookie scale first round contracts, though, the Lakers had a decision to make before the start of the 2025-26 season regarding Knecht. They could lock in Knecht for a third season with the team, or allow him to enter free agency in the summer of 2026. They made the obvious choice to retain him, via Keith Smith of Spotrac<\/a>: <\/p>\n The Los Angeles Lakers have picked up the 2026-27 rookie scale team option for Dalton Knecht, a league source told @spotrac<\/a>.<\/p>\n Knecht will be on the Lakers books at $4.2M for next season.<\/p>\n — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n