Knicks' Mike Brown makes stance on ex-Laker Dalton Knecht crystal clear after debut vs. Bulls

This season has already been a rollercoaster for former Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick Dalton Knecht, and it hasn't been long at all. Knecht was once considered the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft by Los Angeles.

However, things have not gone according to plan after he saw limited playing time last season. The Lakers eventually ran out of plans for him, which is why they waived him before the season began to make room on the roster.

"The Los Angeles Lakers are waiving 2024 No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, sources tell ESPN," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.

Knecht became a highly sought-after free agent once he cleared waivers. After being one of the Lakers' best-kept secrets early in his career, he could become one of the team's biggest mistakes as time goes on. The former first-round pick ultimately decided to sign with the New York Knicks .

"Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN," Charania wrote.

On Wednesday night, Knecht made his Knicks debut against the Chicago Bulls . The former Laker had a productive night off the bench, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds. After the game, New York head coach Mike Brown made it clear that he views Knecht as a scorer, not just a shooter.

"He's a scorer. He's not just a shooter. A lot of people think he's a shooter because he's white. I said it for you. I hope I don't get in trouble," Brown told the media.

There is no doubt that Brown made his thoughts on Knecht clear. Defensively, Knecht may still struggle at times, but he looked closer to his former self on offense.

It was a great night for the Knicks all around, and Knecht took advantage of the opportunity in front of him. Brown clearly thinks highly of him as a scorer, so it will be interesting to see how Knecht's role evolves moving forward.