The New York Knicks are reportedly fully convinced of Dalton Knecht's talent and room for growth.
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SNY's Ian Begley revealed that the reigning NBA champions are bullish on helping Knecht redirect his young career in a positive direction and become a potential key contributor down the line.
"So once [Dalton] Knecht cleared waivers, the Knicks became aggressive there, obviously liking his upside and what he could bring to the table," the longtime Knicks insider said. "That's where the player development comes in because maybe it's a new scenario where he's not coming in as a first-round draft pick.
"He's coming in on a two-way deal. So maybe that, combined with the Knicks' player development staff, could unlock some things and change the trajectory of Knecht's career. At least, that's what the Knicks are betting on here."
Dalton Knecht joins Knicks after Lakers exit
Dalton Knecht has agreed to a two-way contract with the New York Knicks.
Knecht struck an immediate deal with the reigning NBA champions after he was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers last Monday.
The No. 17 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht drew instant initial hype in LA with his red-hot shooting performances. However, he endured a significant decline at the middle portion of his 2024-25 rookie season and when he got involved in the Lakers' failed Mark Williams trade.
After averaging 9.1 points in 19.2 minutes across 78 games (16 starts) in his rookie campaign, Knecht fell out of JJ Redick's rotation and saw limited exposure for Los Angeles last season, tallying just 4.2 points in 10.2 minutes per 54 games last season.
Now under the Knicks' development plan as a two-way player, Knecht has entered a new, fresh start in New York after a lopsided run to his Lakers tenure.
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