Dalton Knecht had quite an odd trading experience. On the route to the Charlotte Hornets, the trade was rescinded (after Mark Williams failed a physical) and so, Knecht returned to the Lakers and after the whole fiasco, he spoke for the first time after the game against Utah. “It felt like a movie,” the player told reporters after scoring 10 points in the Lakers’ 131-119 loss. He even met coach J.J. Redick and then Rob Pelinka after his return and stated how he wanted to move ahead and focus on basketball. And that’s exactly what he did!

The Lakers’ Sunday win over the Clippers pushed them to second place in the Western Conference standings. Interestingly, Doncic scored 29 points, whereas Knecht had 19—the second-highest for the team. So how did Knecht like playing alongside Doncic?

When asked his question, he stated: “Super easy. He makes life easy on all of us, getting wide open shots for everybody.” Interestingly, he also found the game free-flowing with Doncic and LeBron James on his side. “I would say it’s just easy, especially when those two are on the court. They get wide-open shots and it’s always usually a bucket. Having those two on the court together is fun to watch.” However, what does Doncic think about Knecht’s failed trade?

Inside the locker room, even the best players are recognizing his mental fortitude. “It’s hard being a rookie, obviously, but I think he’s a true professional. You know I think one of the games he didn’t play and the next game he showed up and that’s professional, especially being a rookie in LA, it’s not easy and he’s been doing this since I’ve been here, So I’m glad we have him on our team,” Luka Doncic said about Dalton Knecht, as reported by FreeDawkins on YouTube.

Before the Clippers showdown, Knecht had only made two of his 12 three-pointers. Over the last two games, he has converted seven of his 11 attempts. Aside from winning his teammates over, the rookie’s confidence is also seeing a revival. “Just staying confident. Getting back in my groove and stuff like that. You know, like I said earlier, just staying confident. Teammates were finding me and I just kept knocking them shots down,” he said after his blazing game against the Clippers.

In fact, even the HC had some great things to say about Knecht. Just before the win over the Clippers, J.J. Redick raved about his player’s professionalism. “I’m gonna tell you guys something. I told Dalton before the game that he probably wasn’t going to be in the rotation tonight—but to stay ready. That’s a professional basketball player right there. That’s big time.”

Still dealing with the feeling of being traded and then coming back, Knecht had a lot to deal with. But Redick and the squad saw readiness. All this brings up one question: How can he help the Lakers?

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Why could Dalton Knecht be a massive factor in the Lakers?

It wasn’t just because he was a Laker rookie that LeBron James reeled over having Dalton Knecht as his teammate. “They didn’t find DK. The other 16 teams f—– it up,” the Akron Hammer said about the rookie. That’s the sort of impact he can make on a contending roster. Being an elder rookie, Knecht is well aware of his game style.

Having refined his game, the Lakers have seen a preview. The 23-year-old popped off for 37 points against the Utah Jazz, which included a 20-point quarter. That came right after he had scored 27 points. In just the month of November, he shot 46% from three, the best mark on the Los Angeles Lakers at the time.

The trade that would send him to the Charlotte Hornets was largely seen as a necessity for the Lakers. With Luka Doncic, they prioritized having a productive center in the mix. However, even after losing Anthony Davis without any replacement, their defense has been ravishing.

The Lakers play at a high pace and need players who are overflowing with conviction. It might have taken some time after his return, but Dalton Knecht is hungry to prove himself. As a talent, he is among the best rookies this season. And with JJ Redick, he also has dedicated plays that allow the Lakers to maximize his potential. The only thing that the team needs to work on is the slightly negative feelings from Knecht’s failed trade. “It was a crazy time,” he described it in February. It was a difficult thing to swallow considering he was drafted by the Lakers and had to mentally prepare to join another team; Only for all of it to come down crashing.

With that also came some confidence issues. However, his HC thinks his player is doing good. “Everybody’s confidence can wane and you need that confidence to be reinforced by playing well and he has done that the last two games.”

His final season in Tennessee was ample to prove Dalton Knecht plays winning basketball. The SEC Player of The Year thrives under the bright lights. But more than anything, the Lakers are now the second seed and almost a lock for the postseason.

Having a player who doesn’t take many shots to get into an undisturbed rhythm could be the differentiating factor in a playoff series. Likewise, as Knecht continues to grow in confidence, Redick and the Lakers won’t hesitate to up his usage and feed into his excitement for playoff basketball. What do you think?