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**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
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LeBron James and Austin Reaves (plus the Lakers, but with a caveat)
Look, this is an easy one. I had Dalton Knecht right around the top 10 on my board, and he dropped to No. 17. More than that, he fills a significant need for the Lakers, who were just 28th in the league in 3-point attempt rate this past season. They finished eighth in 3-point percentage, but I’m a bit worried that this number was boosted by aberrant shooting seasons by Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell, along with even a 41 percent year from LeBron James.
Now with Knecht, the Lakers have a serious shooter who will need to be guarded from every inch of the halfcourt area. He’s a tremendous off-ball scorer who moves exceedingly well away from the ball and flies off of actions at a high level. Defenses are going to have to pay attention to him, or else he will get loose and fire from 3. But even if they get a late closeout on him, Knecht is also awesome at attacking closeouts and driving. There’s more to his game as a scorer than simply his shooting. He can get into the lane and finish with touch or vertical pop. He can take midrange jumpers as a counter. And, yes, he can fire 3s off of real actions.
That’s going to open up a ton of space for guys James and Austin Reaves as drivers. They’re going to have so much more room to operate around the court. Teams won’t be able to sag off of their man quite as easily, for fear of either of those two players kicking out and hitting Knecht for an easy 3 (which he will make at a good clip). This should be a serious offensive upgrade over the next couple of years.
The caveat here is on the defensive end. Reaves got much better on the defensive end as the season went along in 2023-24, but I worry about pairing the two of them together without an elite perimeter defender between them. Teams will likely try to attack both of them in space and with matchups that aren’t ideal for either of them to handle. But the offensive upgrade here is serious enough to where I like the pick and think this is about as well as the Lakers could have possibly hoped to have done on draft night.
Look, this is an easy one. I had Dalton Knecht right around the top 10 on my board, and he dropped to No. 17. More than that, he fills a significant need for the Lakers, who were just 28th in the league in 3-point attempt rate this past season. They finished eighth in 3-point percentage, but I’m a bit worried that this number was boosted by aberrant shooting seasons by Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell, along with even a 41 percent year from LeBron James.
Now with Knecht, the Lakers have a serious shooter who will need to be guarded from every inch of the halfcourt area. He’s a tremendous off-ball scorer who moves exceedingly well away from the ball and flies off of actions at a high level. Defenses are going to have to pay attention to him, or else he will get loose and fire from 3. But even if they get a late closeout on him, Knecht is also awesome at attacking closeouts and driving. There’s more to his game as a scorer than simply his shooting. He can get into the lane and finish with touch or vertical pop. He can take midrange jumpers as a counter. And, yes, he can fire 3s off of real actions.
That’s going to open up a ton of space for guys James and Austin Reaves as drivers. They’re going to have so much more room to operate around the court. Teams won’t be able to sag off of their man quite as easily, for fear of either of those two players kicking out and hitting Knecht for an easy 3 (which he will make at a good clip). This should be a serious offensive upgrade over the next couple of years.
The caveat here is on the defensive end. Reaves got much better on the defensive end as the season went along in 2023-24, but I worry about pairing the two of them together without an elite perimeter defender between them. Teams will likely try to attack both of them in space and with matchups that aren’t ideal for either of them to handle. But the offensive upgrade here is serious enough to where I like the pick and think this is about as well as the Lakers could have possibly hoped to have done on draft night.
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MIKE LOWERY
formerly chuck finster
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I've wanted them to move off the pick whole time, but he's one of the few players I can see contributing right away off the bench.
They've been talking about him going as high as #6 in CLT for a few weeks and he fell all the way down to #17. Rob couldn't **** that up.
They've been talking about him going as high as #6 in CLT for a few weeks and he fell all the way down to #17. Rob couldn't **** that up.
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Knecht is great offensively, spacing, catch n shoot, legit 6'6.
he's about to get tested defensively, this Knecht/AR backcourt
. His feet slow AF
he's about to get tested defensively, this Knecht/AR backcourt
. His feet slow AFCP: “Please get rid of our best 2 players immediately”
I asked to trade AD.
Just AD.
After seeing 5 firsts for a non all star..........
(I understand trading AD might mean Bron would want to leave, but it would be his choice, not ours)
darthska
Staff member
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Functionally, 'get rid of' has multiple definitions.
"If we trade AD and Bron bounce, we made move on one and the other left on his own."
That would still be considered by most reasonable people as effectively getting rid of both.
But semantics aside, wanting both of our best players off the roster is wild.
Save us, Knecht!
"If we trade AD and Bron bounce, we made move on one and the other left on his own."
That would still be considered by most reasonable people as effectively getting rid of both.
But semantics aside, wanting both of our best players off the roster is wild.
Save us, Knecht!
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Primarily Lakers related:
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MVP
Supporter
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Shorter Mike Miller but more hops for us would be ideal comp for Knecht.
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Is it happening 
Apparently the Reaves is wrong. Lol
Apparently the Reaves is wrong. Lol
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Boston. Be my guest
MVP
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The nerve
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Patiently waiting for Bronny to get picked by Rob 
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Just like how I’m forcing my way into dating a supermodel.
Holding out for the right one.
Holding out for the right one.
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God what a waste of a pick. Slap in the face of guys working their butts off for a dream shot in the NBA, only for a kid to be drafted because of who his dad is and because the organization is weak and wants to cater to Lebron. Be real with his freshman year stats, a player like that wouldn’t ever be drafted if his name wasn’t Bronny James. Talk about “privilege”
4.8/2.8/2.1
37% FG
27% 3 Pt FG
Pathetic
4.8/2.8/2.1
37% FG
27% 3 Pt FG
Pathetic
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Don't know much about knecht, how's he defensively? Looks like another austin reaves based from the highlights.
