The start to the first weekend of the summer league play for the Lakers has been filled with inconsistency, especially for Dalton Knecht. He was the first-round pick for the team.
The Tennessee rookie had a rough performance in back-to-back games for the Lakers that ended in a loss during the California Classic at Chase Center.
On Sunday, the guard struggled to knock down shots consistently and this ended in the team’s defeat by 92-68 to the Golden State Warriors.
Dalton managed to earn 12 points, with one assist and two rebounds in 22 minutes. He could only manage three of the 13 shots from the field and one of the three on three-pointers. Much of his scoring came from the free-throw line.
His performance was similar to the day before when he shot three for 12 from the field and one of four from beyond the arc. In that game, he scored 12 points against a loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Knecht has not played any competitive game since March before playing this weekend. He recognized that finding a rhythm and adjusting to an NBA is challenging and essential for success.
Despite not being able to perform at the highest level at the start of his career, he is pretty confident of making it through. He emphasized the importance of getting to the spots and shooting his shots.
Here is what he said. “Shooters shoot! My dad always told me the next one is going in, so shoot.”
His struggles may be temporary as he adjusts to the playing conditions and playing with new teammates. It may take some time for him to find his rhythm again.