PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot of needs to address this offseason, with shooting one of the most obvious. Portland ranked 20th in 3-point volume last season (33.2 attempts per game) and last in 3-point accuracy (33.2%).
There are a handful of sharpshooters the Blazers could target with one of their two lottery picks (No. 7 and No. 14), but many of them are small guards like Kentucky's Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, and Duke's Jared McCain, who worked out with Portland earlier this week. Portland has plenty of small guards. What they're missing is size and shooting on the wing.
Tennessee small forward Dalton Knecht, one of the top-shooting wings in the draft, could help address that need. And he was in town Thursday for a solo draft workout with the Blazers.
Player profile
Dalton Knecht, wing, Tennessee, senior
- Age: 23
- Height: 6-foot-5.25, 6-9 wingspan, 8-7.5 standing reach (without shoes)
- Weight: 212 pounds
- Stats: 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 46/40/77
- ESPN Top 100 ranking: 8
Knecht measured 6-foot-5.25 without shoes at the NBA draft combine, meaning he's about 6-6 in shoes, so he has the size and length (6-9 wingspan and 8-7.5 standing reach without shoes) to play either small forward or shooting guard. After Thursday's workout, Knecht even teased the ability to play point guard.
"I can play (shooting guard) and (small forward). And I think I can play (point guard)," he said. "Big guard, I played it at Tennessee a little bit. I'm real versatile."
He was also one of the most productive players in college basketball this past season.
After testing the draft waters last summer following two impressive seasons at Northern Colorado, the 23-year-old transferred to Tennessee to test himself against better competition. He didn't lose a step competing against SEC opponents, averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from the 3-point line on high volume (6.5 attempts per game).
Knecht said improved play against better competition was what NBA teams were looking for.
"I put my name in the draft (last year) and talked to some agencies and they told me I had to go to a higher market and play against better competition," Knecht said. "That's what I did. I bet on myself. And it paid off pretty good."
At the draft combine in May, Knecht said he was pleased with the feedback he heard.
"A lot of good stuff," he said. "They said a lot of good things about my growth and how I kept playing good against better competition (at Tennessee)."
Knecht isn't just a shooter. In college, he was a three-level scorer. He showed the ability to get to his shot up off the dribble, in the pick-and-roll or in catch-and-shoot opportunities. He has a solid handle and can attack the basket, where he finished well with either hand, and showed a propensity for making cuts for easy baskets. He also had a good post game in college. Demonstrating his talent outside of shooting is what he's focused on showing teams during draft workouts.
"Obviously people see my scoring and shooting," he said after Thursday's workout. "But just (showing everything): passing, playmaking abilities, all-around game, as well as showing off my defense."
Defense is a question draft experts have about Knecht. He was targeted at times in college and NBA offenses may be tempted to do the same. But he has the size to play small forward and tested well in athletic tests at the draft combine (first in shuttle run, second in lane agility time, tied for eighth in three-quarter sprint, tied for seventh in standing vertical leap, tied for sixth in max vertical leap) so he may be able to max out as a league-average defender.
The NBA Draft is June 26 (first round) and June 27 (second round).