Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
As one Los Angeles Lakers rookie impressed on Thursday, another struggled.
Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ No. 17 overall pick out of Tennessee, had 13 points, eight boards and four assists in Los Angeles’ 107-102 preseason win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Knecht looked solid in his 34 minutes off the bench and should give Lakers fans confidence he can be productive early on.
While Knecht put up good numbers, Bronny James didn’t have much to show for in the win. The second-round pick went 0-of-4 from the field and 0-of-2 from deep, failing to get on the board in his six minutes.
James didn’t have quite as much time on the floor as Knecht, so perhaps the son of the legendary LeBron James will find his rhythm as the preseason continues.
After Los Angeles’ third preseason game, fans hyped up Knecht while recognizing James still has some work to do.
Sports&Sporks @SportsandSporks
Dalton Knecht is ready for the NBA.
A Star will come to life in LA this season⭐️#LakeShow
Trendsetta @DRtheSETTA
Listen I love Bronny but it’s time that brother go to the g league @Lakers he needs time to grow not nba ready like dalton !
It’s no surprise to see Knecht looking comfortable early on in the NBA after the season he had for the Vols last year. The SEC Player of the Year put up 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, leading Tennessee to an SEC regular season title and its first Elite Eight appearance since 2010.
For James, it was expected he would need a bit more time to develop, as do most second-round picks. After the preseason, he’ll likely spend some time in the G League to continue working on his game before hopefully finding a spot in the Lakers’ rotation.
