Dalton Knecht reflects on wild rookie season, talks offseason plans and focus

In an exclusive interview with Silver Screen & Roll, Dalton Knecht reflected on his rookie season, his connection with LA and revealed his plan to play in Summer League.

Hermosa Beach, CA — On a beautiful afternoon in perfect 70-degree weather, it’s hard to blame Dalton Knecht for sporting the broad grin typical of any 24-year-old athlete living in Los Angeles and enjoying the California sun.

Fresh off a workout at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo — his hair still damp from a shower as evidence — Knecht greeted a line of fans waiting to meet him at El Pollo Loco’s launch of their first-ever athlete partnership, along with debuting two new food items.

As picturesque and sunny as the day was, Knecht’s rookie year was far from all sunshine. He experienced as turbulent a first season as anyone could. From starting games in November, being traded away, then forced to return due to a rescinded deal on a failed medical, and eventually being out of the rotation by the end of the year, Knecht had as up-and-down a first year in the league as you could imagine.

The summer and offseason, though, have given him a chance to recollect himself, as well as focus on things away from basketball, including growing his brand away from the court.

Knecht is the first athlete partner for El Pollo Loco, a collaboration that began shortly after he arrived in LA last year.

“[The partnership] started off when I first got drafted here,” Knecht told Silver Screen & Roll. “I asked for good restaurants and one of the recommendations was El Pollo Loco. Started to try it and got blessed to do a sponsorship with them and business.”

Basketball is, obviously, still the focus for Knecht and will soon move back to center stage as he revealed he would play in Summer League again this offseason. But he also still has plenty of time for the fans.

The guard signed autographs and took pictures for hours while a food truck handed out free quesadillas in two new flavors for the company. The sponsorship even includes a commercial, set to launch on TV soon.

“It’s a great community,” said Knecht of LA. “They show a lot of love. Always support. I try and give back as much as I can. LA’s special and you can’t go wrong whenever you’re going out to the beach and something like that. Great food spots like El Pollo Loco”

The Tennessee product embraced the spotlight and attention all day, but to keep himself here in LA hinges on his play on the court.

The 6’6” guard averaged 9.1 points per game and shot 37.6% from 3-point range in his first season. Among all rookies who played a minimum of 40 games, he ranked third in 3-pointers made, fifth in shooting percentage, and sixth in attempts.

Head coach J.J. Redick, a shooter himself, reportedly was drawing up plays in excitement the night the Lakers selected him 17th overall.

“He always just told me to stay aggressive,” Knecht said. “Whenever I have a look, shoot the ball. That’s one thing he always told me. I never turned down a shot, I feel like. That’s something JJ always spoke highly of, something that I’m always ready to shoot the ball.”

Taking those words to heart, he started the season very hot, shooting 46% from 3-point range in November with a high volume of 6.2 attempts per game. That percentage dropped sharply in December to 15.6%. While the shooting stabilized after the New Year, his minutes sharply declined leading up to and following the chaotic trade deadline.

“I think it was good,” Knecht said. “Every rookie season has its ups and downs. You just try to stay consistent. I tried to stay consistent as much as I can and try to be available when I was.”

Knecht was indeed available as he played in 78 out of 82 regular-season games, ranking sixth among all rookies.

Being drafted in LA led to an abundance of opportunities on and off the floor for Knecht, including the chance to play alongside the league’s greatest superstars. He joined a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis before a blockbuster move in which the Lakers added Luka Dončić, an experience he doesn’t take for granted.

“Yeah, it was crazy playing with AD and Bron,” Knecht said. “Them two are a great duo, won a championship and stuff. Got one of the next superstars with Luka. Playing with LeBron every time was crazy, but you know just playing with the next gen and I get to learn from a different side and another guard, it’s always good.”

A reliable shooter is always appreciated alongside superstar playmakers, but they must earn their coach’s trust defensively. Knecht only played a total of 26 minutes alongside Dončić and LeBron, leading to him being completely out of the rotation during the playoffs.

That excitement on draft day from coach Redick faded away as the importance of games escalated, culminating in him playing less than four minutes across five games during the playoff series against Minnesota, all in garbage time.

Amid the season’s instability, Knecht largely delivered on why he was drafted in the first round. His shooting proved real, and his early scoring highs justified belief in his future potential. However, the defensive concerns were known to be real when he entered the league and remain as something he must improve upon going forward.

The life of a role player in LA involves constant trade rumors and Knecht’s name will likely be mentioned all summer. There’s no getting around the noise, but if LA holds on to Knecht, he should be looked at as a rotation guy next season.

However, he says his focus will be elsewhere.

“Just stay consistent,” Knecht said. “Try to stay consistent throughout the summer…and be ready for training camp.”

Time will tell if that will be training camp in LA or elsewhere. After a rollercoaster rookie year, he and the Lakers both are likely hoping for a bit more consistency.

And plenty more of that California sunshine.

You can follow Raj on Twitter at @RajChipalu.