Overview
- Only 10 Lakers dressed against Portland, and Knecht supplied 16 of the bench’s 18 points in 25 minutes.
- Head coach JJ Redick said he has a very high belief in Knecht and that the guard can build on the performance.
- Knecht shot 5-for-13 overall and 2-for-8 from three but contributed two steals and a block in the defeat.
- Guard Gabe Vincent is expected to miss 2–4 weeks with an ankle sprain, increasing Knecht’s short-term opportunity.
- A 2024 No. 17 pick who averaged 9.1 points as a rookie, Knecht had his team option picked up, though his role remains unsettled after a rescinded trade and uneven summer.