Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Sunday that second-year swingman Dalton Knecht has led the team offensively throughout training camp and earned a spot in the preseason starting lineup against the Golden State Warriors.
With several veterans sitting out, the 24-year-old started on Oct. 12, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena and finished the 108–101 victory with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists over 34 minutes. Knecht went 4-for-9 from the floor, 2-for-5 from three-point range and 6-for-8 at the free-throw line.
After the game, Redick said internal tracking showed Knecht topping every teammate in live scrimmages. During two separate three-day segments, the guard/forward shot 16-of-27 overall and 12-of-20 from deep in each span, giving him what the coach described as a 42-point edge over the next-highest scorer.
“He let the game come to him offensively,” Redick noted. “He’s a big-time threat, but his ceiling this season is going to be determined by how much he grows as a defender.”
Knecht had struggled in Summer League and the Lakers’ first two preseason contests, yet the club believes his scoring could bolster a second unit that may start the regular season without LeBron James. Redick reiterated that 2025-26 is intended as a “year of development” for the former first-round pick, emphasizing incremental defensive improvement.
Austin Reaves Avoids Injury Scare
Lakers guard Austin Reaves exited in the third quarter with a leg issue but told reporters afterward he was “feeling good,” and no significant injury is expected.
Source: Lakers Nation
