Lakers’ ‘Trash’ Roster Move Amid Bronny James Pick Slammed by NBA Legend: “Another Austin Reaves”

The 2024 NBA Draft is in the record books already. With all the picks sorted out, the expert reviews are coming out thick and fast. Most of them center around the Lakers’ latest acquisition, Bronny James. While cries of “Nepotism Baby” are getting louder for James Jr., the other Lakers pick is also facing criticism.

Dalton Knecht is the other Lakers pick everyone’s talking about. He already showed who he was during his college days and was regarded as a steal of a pick by the Lakers. But no, a former NBA pro doesn’t seem to rate him.

During the latest episode of Gil’s Arena podcast, Rashad McCants, Brandon Jennings, and Nick Young discussed the draft picks. While rating and reviewing every top draft pick, it was McCants’ turn to rate Dalton Knecht. The former Timberwolves man started his review with the word “Trash“.

“You gonna get another Austin Reaves, you get another Mike Dunleavy for your team, just so you can blame it on somebody, gotta blame it on somebody. Should’ve got that,” said McCants.

While Swaggy P and Gilbert Arenas vehemently disagreed with McCants, he further added, “He should have went somewhere else. He’s a good player. I think he’ll feel well in that one. He’s a good player. That’s a trash pick by the Lakers because they know they’re not going to use him.”

McCants pointed out the similarity between Reaves and Knecht’s game, but the Oklahoma guard went undrafted in 2021. Knecht comes into the league with a better reputation thanks to his showings with Tennessee. He was a consensus first-team All-American this year. His 21.7 PPG with a 45.8/39.7/77.2 shooting split is a testament to his offensive expertise.

Knecht can become a favorite with JJ Redick due to their similar playing style. But how will his dynamic be with Bronny James? Given there is no further change within the roster, how exactly can Bronny and Knecht fit it?

How Would the Lakers Team Look With Bronny James and Dalton Knecht?

The chances of James Jr. and Knecht starting in Redick’s system are next to nil. The learnings from Redick’s introductory press conference indicate that his system would be built around Anthony Davis. Nikola Jokic will play a hub role in the team, and AD will be poised to transition into that role. This will allow LeBron to pick his spot and keep the shooting barrage going. The Lakers were notoriously poor from 3-pts shooting last season ranking 29th.

If D’Angelo Russell signs a new contract, he will assume the PG role, with Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves making the 5. The Lakers will have quality depth on the bench in Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes, and Bronny James.

Bronny’s mindset of becoming the Jrue Holiday of the Lakers is an encouraging sign for the franchise. With his legendary father by his side, he would get the best mentoring possible and would have the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video.