Is Dalton Knecht Too Old to Have Major Upside?

Getty Images/Ringer illustration The Los Angeles Lakers rookie is making LeBron (and us) wonder: Did 15 teams screw up by passing on him in the 2024 NBA draft? And does Knecht's torrid start tell us anything about how teams should factor age into their prospect evaluations? Dalton Knecht might have the best nickname in the NBA. There are more important aspects of the rookie's game—like his 45 percent 3-point mark—but in a league starved for creative and memorable monikers, "Knecht 4" is perfect. Also perfect? Knecht's fit with the Lakers, who, in desperate need of talent and spacing, selected the reigning SEC Player of the Year with the no. 17 pick in the 2024 draft. Knecht exceeded 30 minutes in a game for the first time on November 13 and since then has been nothing short of spectacular. He's averaged 20.5 points and made 59.5 percent (!) of his 3-pointers over his past six games, and the Lakers—who play Phoenix in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday—are 10-6. The highlight of this remarkable run came when Knecht caught fire against the Jazz, en route to 37 points, a rookie-record-tying nine 3-pointers, and one Jordan-esque shrug. Amid this surge, Knecht moved into second place...