The Los Angeles Lakers brought in Dalton Knecht in the N.B.A Design to increase their offensive firepower with his shooting skills. Still, the rookie struggled to find his rhythm early on. Despite the difficult start, head coach JJ Redick remains optimistic that Knecht’s breakthrough moment will come soon.

Knecht has prepared for all of the Lakers’ games thus far, though his production hasn’t quite met expectations. The rookie has averaged through the first ten games 6.1 points on 38.6% shooting from the field and 28.9% from beyond the arc. However, Redick believes this is only a matter of time.

“For me, he has looked really good, both organically and when we have played sets for him,” Redick said per Matt Peralta of Lakers Nation. “I’m not going to be deterred into thinking he’s a tier 1, top 1% shooter. I see it almost every day.”

Redick, who knows the ups and downs of shooting from his 15-year NBA career, also sympathized with Knecht. “Sometimes you go through things and having played 15 years, it’s always hard for me early in the season if I don’t start out shooting 3s well at first.he continued. “It became more than it was, and I started focusing on the long term and believing that the law of averages would work, that regression to the mean would occur, and that I would eventually become a 40% 3-point shooter . ”

Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball into Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the NBA preseason game at Footprint Center. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

He added: “But mentally it’s hard, I think, and I’m not speaking for him, but I think it’s hard for shooters if you start shooting the ball slowly. It can weigh on you a bit. I’ve talked to him about it, and he believes the shot lands every time. And me too.”

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D’Angelo Russell weighs in on Knecht’s battle

Lakers guard D’Angelo RussellA sharpshooter himself who posted career-high shooting numbers last season, he also offered his encouragement to the young rookie, believing Knecht’s moment will come soon.

“Every young player in the league wants it straight away,” Russel said. “The basketball gods have a funny way of covering up those blessings. So for him, know that your time is coming and just be ready for it. I think he’ll be ready when his time comes.”

Knecht’s figures so far

This season, however, Knecht played in all ten Lakers games he went scoreless in the loss to the Phoenix Suns, missing three field goal attempts, including a three-pointer.

Knecht’s season highlight came against the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers, where he held his own 18 points despite the fact that it is fair 2 of 7 attempts from deep. While his shooting woes are obvious, the Lakers’ confidence in him and Redick’s encouragement can help him turn things around.