5 Winners and losers of the wildly unpredictable first round of the 2024 NBA Draft

Winner: Los Angeles Lakers 

The Lakers biggest weakness coming into the draft: consistent wing shooting. No better way to fix that than selecting the best shooter in the draft in Tennessee's Dalton Knecht. Knecht may be on the older side for a prospect at 23 years old, but the Lakers are in win now mode, so that does not affect them as much.

Knecht can shoot the ball all over the floor, whether it is in a spot up role, movement shooting, or pull up threes. He showcased his entire shooting arsenal with Tennessee this past season. When playing next to a playmaker like LeBron James, being a knockdown shooter helps a lot. 

Knecht is more than just a shooter though, as he is able to create his own shot off the dribble using his physical 6’6” frame. He is also great at attacking the rim and finishing strong, whether it is with the ball or off cuts. Knecht knows how to score. One area he needs to improve upon though is the defensive end of the floor, but that will likely come with time. 

After their draft blunder last year that saw them take Jalen Hood-Schfino, the Lakers hit this pick out of the park. New head coach JJ Redick is so excited that he was already drawing up pin downs and ATOs for Knecht on his whiteboard according to Lakers GM Rob Pelinka. This is the perfect fit for the player and team.