Dalton Knecht is a Perfect Fit with the Detroit Pistons | POP Scouting Report

As the Pistons look to the take a step forward and better commit to building around Cade Cunningham, the sweet-shooting wing from Tennessee pops as a strong fit with what Detroit needs.

May 22, 2024

If the Detroit Pistons draft a player with the 5th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft – a big if I would say – then Dalton Knecht should be near the top of the team’s draft board.

While I am still of the belief that Detroit should – and will – leverage the pick as a trade chip leading up to the franchise’s turn on the clock come June 26th, there is no doubt that adding a player like Knecht would improve a weak wing core.

Knecht’s Bio

Age: 23
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 212 pounds
School: Tennessee

Knecht was the SEC Player of the Year, leading the Volunteers to the Elite 8 this past season.

In 36 games he averaged:

30.6 minutes
21.7 points
4.9 rebounds
1.8 assists
45.8 FG%
39.7 3P%

Knecht’s Strengths

The measurable are favorable with Knecht. At the NBA Draft Combine last week, he measured 6’5.25” with no shoes and a 6’9” wingspan. He impressed with a 39-inch vertical jump, too. He is bigger, and more athletic, than he may initially appear.

His physical comparison according to Draft Express will certainly raise eyebrows.

Equally as intriguing is his scoring ability. Knecht was one of the best scorers in college last year, evidenced by some big-time performances all season long.

His best performances didn’t come against weaker competition, either.

He scored 37 points in Tennessee's loss to Purdue in the tournament. He dropped 40 points against Kentucky and 39 against both Auburn and Florida.

He scored 21 or more points in 19 of the 36 games he appeared in.

He is a high-level scorer, a remarkable shooter unafraid of the big games and moments within. His offensive impact will be immediate.

Knecht’s Weaknesses

Knecht has not been known to be a good defender, and while he was actually an improved one based on several defensive metrics this past year, there are still questions about his ability to positively contribute on that side of the court.

Is he strong enough to bump with bigger wings? Can he stay in front of smaller ones?

Speed nor strength are his calling cards, which will draw scrutiny to his value on defense.

He also deals with the common connotations of being a “shooter”.

Offensively, while he can get up at the rim with his leaping ability, he doesn’t have the smoothest touch or finishing package at the rim. Developing some sort of floater will help unlock his ability to score inside the restricted area.

Some will also be worried that Knecht, already 23, has maxed out his potential and lacks the potential of other prospects such as Zaccharie Risacher or Reed Sheppard.

Knecht’s Fit

I’d be willing to argue Knecht fits better with the Pistons than any other prospect in this draft class.

Detroit already has a very young center in Jalen Duren, which would make drafting a player such as Alexandre Sarr or Donovan Clingan a bit tougher in terms of both fit and optics.

The same could be said about Nikola Topić, a promising young point guard from Serbia. He is an intriguing player, but the fit would be difficult with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Knecht can play the two or the three, and his ability to space the floor makes it very easy to see him stepping onto the court for Detroit on day one. A key goal of Detroit’s offseason should be to add spacing and complimentary pieces around Cunningham. Knecht is that.

He isn’t a project. He’s 23. He’s experienced. On a team with so many young players in need of serious nurturing, that wouldn’t be as much of an issue for Knecht.

He may not be the prospect with the highest ceiling, but should Detroit not draft a guy that all film indicates is ready to play NBA minutes right now and addresses a serious need?

He isn’t the flashiest name in the draft, but he’s a good young player and should be considered by the Pistons if they use the 5th pick in the draft.