Despite battling for a top spot in the Western Conference, the OKC Thunder still have a significant number of picks, including a projected lottery pick for the 2024 NBA Draft.\\
Let’s take a look at Dalton Knecht and how he would fit into the Thunder system.
Profile Project
- Height: 6’6
- Weight: 204
- Span: N / A
- Age: 23
- School: Tennessee
Rapid screening report
Knecht began his career in Junior College before transferring to Northern Colorado, which led him to land at the University of Tennessee this season after dominating the Big Sky. In Vol, Knecht averages 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 actions per game.
The 23-year-old is shooting 46 percent from the floor, 39 percent from beyond the arc and 76 percent from the charity stripe. A three-level scorer who can hold his own as a team defender with this frame.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Knecht can get you a bucket at all three levels with huge shooting moves. This makes him dangerous off screens, on moves and during tap-out scrambles. Knecht is shooting 43 percent on field goal attempts, or 1,170 points per possession in such settings.
The Vols forward is taking catch-and-shoots at a 41 percent clip, placing him in the 86th percentile in that category. This is just one of the ways his game finishing shows up as the forward shoots 59 percent in the ring and can dominate as a cutter.
Knecht projects to thrive on both ends of the pick-and-roll with enough playmaking and scoring off the dribble to lead the way as a handler, as well as his ability to finish plays as a screener. Although Rick Barnes has yet to use the forward as a screener, his ability to step out to the three-point line or roll hard to the rim with a high catch radius is something teams in the NBA should exploit as guard-to-guard screens become. most popular.
Despite his defensive limitations, his motor skills and energy were never in question. That’s why you should be encouraged that he can become a team defender at the next level.
Weaknesses
Knecht’s biggest weakness is defense. Especially at the NBA level, as spacing improves and offenses become run-heavy, you have to worry about the 23-year-old’s ability to play in space and against some of the top scorers.
In a modern era where everyone has to be a playmaker for most teams, Knecht won’t let the ball stick to him but also won’t create much advantage for others as a passer. While not a deal-breaker, Knecht will only be a connective playmaker at the next level instead of a primary facilitator.
A little too comfortable making transition triples despite his ability to score at the rim. Running hard down the field with his ability to finish on either side would generate more buckets for his offense.
Availability
Thunder Cup
The Tennessee forward would come in instantly and provide a scoring spark off the bench for Oklahoma City. While he’ll probably never be an NBA star and some of his limitations on defense make you wonder how good he could be in a starting role, he can absolutely fill it.
His future in the NBA lies as a microwave scorer who needs to be protected on the defensive end of the court. The Thunder have the luxury of having lineups capable of putting another defense and another creation around Kenecht to make him one of the best bench players in the NBA.
Future role
The Thunder would be able to use him as a top bench scorer, improving the offset lineups late in the first quarter with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and providing a punch to the bench lineups to start the second and fourth frames.
Knecht can be hidden in every lineup Mark Daigneault puts on the court given the Thunder’s stable of defenders. The Vols forward can even close out Thunder games if they go into a shootout late.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook And Follow us on twitter to stay up to date with all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the cover.
