As widely expected, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to drop the hammer on Dalton Knecht with the deadline for team rosters almost passing. Now, the former first-round pick is forced to look for a new home, and to that effect, the Philadelphia 76ers could certainly make a play for the young wing once they open up a spot in the middle of the season. After all, there is still enough upside in him as someone who can provide some much-needed infusion of shooting on the roster.
Knecht, who is only 25 years old, was a productive player in his rookie campaign. However, after the Lakers tried –– and infamously failed –– to trade him before the deadline, his confidence simply took a hit, and it did not take long before he ended up being a benchwarmer for the most part in LA. That spilled over to the previous campaign, where he tallied just 10.2 minutes a night and naturally struggled as a floor spacer. Be that as it may, the 76ers should try to snag him for cheap.
The 76ers should target Dalton Knecht as a midseason addition
Knecht, whom LeBron publicly vouched for when he was a rookie, had a difficult time trying to crack the Lakers' regular rotation under JJ Redick. He can definitely benefit from a fresh start, though, and the 76ers might just have the perfect spot for him given the team's need for more three-point shooting and his recent connection with James.
Right now, the 76ers cannot fill their 15th roster spot, so their pursuit of Knecht will have to commence in December, the time when the front office can add a player on a prorated veteran's minimum deal. Once that restriction gets lifted, Knecht should definitely get some consideration as a project piece for the team.
Knecht shot nearly 38 percent from beyond the arc in his rookie season on great volume, and that is something that could be especially valuable in Philly. The 76ers need shooting around their stars, and with the team having more players who can command a lot of attention on defense, Knecht should be better at punishing defenders with his jump shot.
Obviously, someone like Knecht cannot reliably be counted on as a lone solution to such a pervasive team-wide issue, but the 76ers have to get opportunistic when it comes to bringing in new faces. As such, they should try to cash in on the Lakers cutting the sweet shooting wing, especially since, in a way, he will not be completely foreign to the squad.
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