These keep popping up.
The NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and a couple of landing spots for Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht keep seeming to pop up in mock drafts. By no means are these the end-all, but there does seem to be a growing opinion that Knecht will either land in the No. 8 or No. 9 slot.
The Spurs and Grizzlies hold each of those respective picks, and both could use a ready-made scorer to pair with their young stars. At ESPN, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo went through picks that filled the biggest needs and picks that provided the best value. Knecht checked both of those boxes for different teams in back to back selections in the mock draft.
8. San Antonio Spurs
Having hopefully addressed their point guard position long-term with their pick at No. 4, it makes sense for the Spurs to add another elite shooter in Knecht, who hit 40% of his 3s while showing dynamic shot-making prowess. Knecht, a consensus First Team All-American who is ranked No. 8 in ESPN’s Top 100, should be one of the most NBA-ready rookies in this class, which is attractive for a Spurs team that surely wants to turn the page to playoff contention sooner rather than later. (Givony, ESPN)
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Not a pick Memphis should overthink if it stays put here at No. 9. Knecht is the draft’s most polished perimeter scorer, and our top player who is left on the board after a breakout season at Tennessee. He’s a legit lottery-level player because of what he brings to the table on offense, as a threat away from the ball who can attack closeouts and score at all three levels. The question of how high to take him hangs on how much more teams think he can improve, but this feels like the right place for him. (Woo, ESPN)
NBA.com also projects Knecht to land in Memphis during their consensus mock draft. ESPN’s Givony also projected Knecht to the Grizzlies following the withdrawal deadline.
Other landing spots have Knecht landing as high as No. 6 with the Hornets, or as low as No. 14 to the Trailblazers.
Knecht’s meteoric rise has been one of the best stories in college basketball over the last year. He joined the Vols for his final season, transferring in from Northern Colorado. Making a big leap in competition level, Knecht’s numbers actually improved while playing in the ultra-competitive SEC.
The 6-6 Tennessee guard took home SEC Player of the Year honors. Knecht shot 39 percent from three-point range, averaging 21.7 points per game. He took over a handful of games for Rick Barnes this season, scoring 35+ points on six separate occasions.
Knecht is considered one of the most pro-ready prospects in the draft, which makes him attractive to those teams who feel ready to win now. The Spurs and Grizzlies both check those boxes, armed with young stars like Victor Wembanyama and Ja Morant, respectively.
The 2024 NBA Draft will begin on Wednesday, June 26th at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.