With the NBA Draft Lottery complete, the Blazers are holding pair of lottery picks in this month’s NBA Draft. Portland owns the seventh and 14th picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.
This year’s draft is considered to be a bit of a downer compared to recent years. There is certainly talent to be found, but there isn’t considered to be a significant number of top-tier players available at the top of the draft. This means that, while a transcendent superstar may not be had, there are still quality rotation players to be found throughout the first round.
With the uncertainty surround this year’s draft, there are multiple players in play for the Blazers with the seventh (and 14th) pick this month.
Dalton Knecht strengths
In his final college season, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and shot 39.7 percent from behind the arc. He was the SEC Player of the Year and an All-American.
In terms of offense, Knecht is the definition of a pure scorer. He is perhaps the best shooter in the draft, can get to his spot with or without the ball, and can attack the rim well.
Knecht can score from all three levels in a variety of ways – something that the Blazers badly need. On the perimeter, Knecht is effective as a catch-and-shoot player and is also capable of scoring on the move. Inside the 3-point line, Knecht is able to create space and is a vertical finisher in the painted area.
When Knecht isn’t looking for his own shot, he has shown to be a willing passer. He has the fundamental foundation to work as a secondary facilitator in the future.
As an athlete, Knecht displayed improved explosiveness in his final year of college. At the combine, among small forwards, Knecht finished with the fastest times in the lane agility drill and the shuttle run.
Dalton Knecht weaknesses
Knecht’s unconventional path to the lottery discussion raises issues about his NBA ceiling, as he has already made two significant leaps in competition in his basketball career. First, he transitioned from juco to the Big Sky Conference with Northern Colorado, and then after two seasons, Knecht moved into a primary role with Tennessee. Now at age 23, questions surround how much potential is still left untapped.
Outside of questions surrounding his age and upside, Knecht was a fairly poor defender last season. He struggled with closing off driving lanes and was repeatedly lazy on closeouts. Due to his weaknesses in those areas, he ended up being frequently targeted by opponents. Without improvement, that trend is likely to get worse in the NBA.
Dalton Knecht’s fit with Blazers
Knecht is a competent, high-floor player that seems prepared to step into an NBA role immediately. If the Blazers are in the market for that type of player, Knecht appears to be a perfect fit. However, if Portland is in the market for a lottery ticket on a high-upside player, there could be other options that are more appropriate.
For reference, Knecht is three years older than Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, a fact that naturally brings up questions about how he fits into the Blazers’ current timeline.
Future issues aside, Dalton Knecht would boost floor spacing and ball movement for the Blazers. He was effective with and without the ball with Tennessee, which would allow him to fit into several different Portland lineups.
The NBA Draft is June 26-27.
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