{"id":26635,"date":"2026-01-02T20:53:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T04:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/lakers-dalton-knecht-gets-his-shot-at-being-back-in-rotation-daily-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T20:53:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T04:53:10","slug":"lakers-dalton-knecht-gets-his-shot-at-being-back-in-rotation-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/lakers-dalton-knecht-gets-his-shot-at-being-back-in-rotation-daily-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers\u2019 Dalton Knecht gets his shot at being back in rotation \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lakers’ Dalton Knecht Gets His Shot at Being Back in Rotation<\/h1>\n

Introduction to Dalton Knecht’s Opportunity<\/h2>\n

LOS ANGELES \u2014 With his team going through an offensive slump \u2013 though not as bad as the defensive slide in December \u2013 Lakers coach JJ Redick assured that second-year wing Dalton Knecht would get a look in Friday night\u2019s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies. And for the foreseeable future, with the Lakers remaining short-handed in light of absences from Austin Reaves (calf), Rui Hachimura (calf), Gabe Vincent (back) and Adou Thiero (knee).<\/p>\n

The Lakers’ Offensive Slump<\/h2>\n

Overshadowed by their defense ranking 29th in the NBA in December, the Lakers\u2019 offense also dropped off significantly last month. They were No. 18 in offensive rating last month, scoring 114.2 points per 100 possessions, after ranking No. 5 at 118.9 points per 100 possessions in October and November.<\/p>\n

Expectations for Dalton Knecht<\/h2>\n

But Redick made it clear that Knecht isn\u2019t being returning to the rotation purely for his scoring production. Or to help boost a Lakers team that shot 33.9% (No. 25 in the league) from 3-point range in December, with Knecht shooting 37.3% from being the arc so far in his career. Redick made it known that more will be required for Knecht to stick in the rotation when the Lakers get healthier.<\/p>\n

Coach Redick’s Emphasis<\/h2>\n

\u201cPlay hard \u2013 that\u2019s been the biggest playing emphasis for him all season,\u201d Redick said. \u201cHe\u2019s not going to be judged on whether he makes or misses shots. That helps. When you go through a stretch and you feel like your team isn\u2019t playing hard, you got to play the guys that are consistently playing hard. Redick added: \u201cHe had some really good moments already this season. And I think for him, probably the next week or so, he\u2019s going to have consistent playing time and consistent opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Status Update<\/h2>\n

Redick said that Vincent, who hasn\u2019t played since Dec. 14 because of a lumbar back strain, will hopefully be a modified participant in Saturday\u2019s practice but won\u2019t play in Sunday night\u2019s rematch against the Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena. The hope is that the veteran guard will be able to play either in Tuesday\u2019s road game against the New Orleans Pelicans or Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs, but that hadn\u2019t been determined as of Friday. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him exposure to live play,\u201d Redick said. \u201cAnd with the travel day on Monday, that\u2019s gonna be tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two-Way Impact<\/h2>\n

Grizzlies center Christian Koloko, who was with the Lakers on a two-way contract the previous two seasons, started on Friday in light of Memphis\u2019 frontcourt injuries. Koloko, who signed a second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies, made the first start of his NBA career in Memphis\u2019 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. The 6-foot-11 Cameroonian big man played in five straight games for Memphis entering Friday. The Lakers waived him from his two-way deal, which he signed in October 2024, in late November. \u201cI really appreciate Christian\u2019s contributions to our team,\u201d Redick said. \u201cSimilar to this year, we were asking a lot of a couple of two-way guys, Trey [Jemison] last year, eventually [Jordan Goodwin], who were a big part of helping us win ball games. When he\u2019s able to run and crash without physicality, he can be really impactful. He can be impactful as a rim defender as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

In conclusion, Dalton Knecht’s opportunity to get back into the rotation is a significant one, given the Lakers’ current short-handed situation. With emphasis from Coach Redick on playing hard and consistent opportunities ahead, Knecht has the chance to prove himself. The status of other players, like Gabe Vincent, and the impact of two-way players like Christian Koloko, will also be important factors in the team’s dynamics moving forward.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n