Bronny James made his unofficial Los Angeles Lakers debut on October 4, showing glimpses of his defensive chops with three blocks.
But it was the Lakers’ other rookie, Dalton Knecht, who caught LeBron James’ eyes.
“He’s a pro,” LeBron said of Knecht to reporters before their October 6 game against the Phoenix Suns.
After Knecht scored 16 points on 7 of 13 shots during the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, LeBron added, “He’s ready to go now.”
LeBron James on Dalton Knecht: “He’s a pro. He’s ready to go now.” #Lakeshow
The Lakers’ first-round pick added three rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block in 25 minutes. If there’s anything he needs to clean up to become a key rotation player right in his first year, it’s his turnovers. The rookie wing turned the ball over a game-high five times.
Knecht acknowledged his rookie mistakes.
“I feel like it was just coming more natural and in rhythm, my shots,” Knecht told reporters after the game, per Lakers Nation. “I turned down a couple and had some unnecessary turnovers, but just trying to stay aggressive and I know my teammates have a ton of confidence in me shooting the ball. So just staying out there confident and trusting my shot and my craft.”
The 23-year-old rookie is competing for one of the last spots in JJ Redick’s nine-man rotation. He played the third-most minutes during the Lakers’ preseason opener, with James and Anthony Davis sitting out for rest purposes.
“I’m just trying to do whatever the team needs,” Knecht added. “Trying to be the best role player I can be and like I said, just shooting the ball with confidence and also just rebounding and trying to play great defense.”
JJ Redick’s Blunt Admission About Bronny James’ Game
Redick did not mince words in assessing Bronny’s preseason debut.
“On the offensive end, he’s still kind of figuring out who he is, and that’s our job as a player development program just to build him up,” Redick told reporters, per Lakers Nation.
James struggled from the field, missing his first five shots before scoring a basket in garbage time.
“But I like what I saw from Bronny,” Redick added. “Truthfully, he’s so easy to coach, and he’s got a great soul and just a great energy about him. I like being around him and I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player that we are happy to have in our program.”
The 19-year-old son of LeBron played solid defense. He registered three blocks, which was the most by any guard in a preseason debut since Dwyane Wade’s four in 2003.
“He can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique, and I think can turn into a really disruptive defender,” Redick said.
Bronny added one rebound and one assist against a turnover in 16 minutes off the bench.
JJ Redick Reveals Roster Spot Competition
With the Lakers’ starting lineup set with D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron and Anthony Davis, spots in the bench are up for grabs.
“There’s a lot of guys who are going to have a chance to play,” Redick told reporters on October 1. “And as I said, I think beyond the obvious guys — Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt when he’s healthy, Jaxson Hayes, Max [Christie], Cam [Reddish] and Jalen [Hood-Schifino], I know I’m forgetting someone. It’s been a very long day, but a lot of guys are going to compete for spots.”
Rookie Dalton Knecht, whom Redick touted in the now-defunct “The Lowe Post” podcast on September 25 as among the one percent of shooters in the NBA, is likely the player he forgot to mention.
Knecht completes the seven players vying for the last four rotation spots.
“I’ve always sort of envisioned a nine-man rotation in the regular season,” Redick continued. “So there’s definitely some competition for that ninth spot.”
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LeBron James Has 4-Word Reaction to Lakers Rookie’s Preseason Debut