Where does Dalton Knecht rank in NBA ROY Power Rankings?

The early part of the NBA season has provided plenty of drama for those primarily interested in the standings. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards represent both ends of the spectrum, as the Cavs jumped out to a historic 15-0 start while the Wiz have dropped 13 straight and counting.

NBA awards are always intriguing to follow, and this season is no different. The MVP race is heating up, and though Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have all been outstanding, it looks like there's nothing that can stop Nikola Jokic from capturing his fourth MVP in five years. The Serbian big man has outpaced even his own astronomical precedent with averages of 29.7 points, 13.1 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game, while also leading the league with a 55.6 percent clip from three.

NBA rookies are outperforming expectations

In the run-up to the NBA Draft, most of the talk centered around how weak the rookie class appeared to be. While it's true that this year lacked a generational prospect like Victor Wembanyama, the first month of the season has shown that maybe NBA experts sold this group a little short.

Several rookies have already become vital pieces of their respective teams, and even more interestingly, most of them weren't even taken with a high pick. That has created a fascinating Rookie of the Year race.

There have been a plethora of storylines for Los Angeles Lakers to follow this year, from JJ Redick's first season as head coach, to Anthony Davis making an early run at the scoring title, to LeBron James making history by rolling off four straight triple-doubles at the age of 39.

Right there with them is Dalton Knecht, who has gone from being the 17th pick in this summer's draft to an instant X-factor in L.A.'s title hopes. Knecht struggled to find his shot in the first couple weeks of the season, but he's been on a tear since, averaging over 18 points and 27 minutes per game.

Dalton Knecht has become a top contender for NBA Rookie of the Year. How high does he rank?

It's difficult to overstate how important Knecht has become to this Lakers team. FanSided's Lake Show Life ranked him third on the list of players to be thankful for behind only AD and LeBron, and they're not wrong.

Beyond L.A.'s two superstars, there just isn't a lot of scoring punch on this team, which is why Knecht has been the perfect pick. He's shooting over 43 percent from three to give the Lakers some much-needed floor spacing, but he's also shown an ability to get to the rim, too. The Lakers have one of the best offenses in the NBA, and they're even more potent when Knecht is on the court.

Knecht has been climbing the ranks in the ROY power rankings thanks to his November ascension. Let's see where he ranks according to the experts.

Steve Aschburner of NBA.com ranks Knecht fourth in the site's Kia Rookie Ladder, behind Jared McCain of the 76ers, Stephon Castle of the Spurs, and Jaylen Wells of the Grizzlies. The Lakers' recent three-game losing streak put a damper on Aschburner's enthusiasm, and likewise he moved Castle up in part because the Spurs enjoyed a 3-0 week. These rankings were published before Wednesday's Lakers win over the Spurs, a game in which Knecht led L.A. in scoring with 20 points and Castle scored 10 while dishing out seven assists.

ESPN published a piece this week on its early-season awards, and the Worldwide Leader was much more bullish on Knecht's standing in this rookie class. A poll of ESPN's NBA Insiders ranked the former Tennessee Volunteer in second place, and just like in the draft, he was right behind McCain. Knecht was far ahead of third-place Zach Edey, and he even garnered one of the first-place votes in the poll.

Micheal Saenz of Sir Charles in Charge — FanSided's NBA news and opinion site — also ranks Knecht second behind McCain. Saenz was impressed by how quickly Knecht has earned JJ Redick's trust, and he points to Knecht's age and experience as reasons to believe that he can become even better by the end of the season.

McCain is a -150 favorite on FanDuel as of Thursday, but he shouldn't begin clearing space in his trophy case just yet. While nobody can dispute that he's been the one bright spot in Philly's season to forget, he's also benefited from being forced into a larger role due to the ongoing injuries of Joel Embiid and Paul George. If and when those veterans return to the court full-time, McCain's usage will take a big dip.

Knecht, meanwhile, seems to only be growing in stature on the Lakers, making his +350 price on FanDuel look like a bargain. Redick put him back into the starting lineup against the Spurs on Wednesday, and the result was one of the most complete wins of the season for L.A. He's exactly the kind of player the Lakers want around AD and LeBron, and it's obvious that his teammates love him. This race is far from over.