"JJ Redick will pay for his crimes" - Lakers fans turn the heat on HC after snubbing Dalton Knecht's rotation minutes amid losing streak

LA Lakers fans are not happy with coach JJ Redick after Dalton Knecht played limited minutes on Tuesday night. Knecht had blossomed into a 3-point threat for the Lakers when given minutes and was in the starting lineup. However, Rui Hachimura has returned from injury and the rookie returned to his backup role.

Knecht scored in double figures for five straight games from Nov. 13 to 21, including a 37-point performance in a win over the Utah Jazz. But with Hachimura healthy once again, the Tennessee product was relegated to the bench and has only played 28 and 20 minutes in his past two games.

In the 127-120 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, Knecht had seven points in 20 minutes. The Lakers suffered their first-ever defeat in the NBA Cup and dropped to 10-7 for the regular season.

While the LA Lakers still have a winning record, some members of their fanbase are already blaming JJ Redick. They are not happy with Dalton Knecht's minutes and want him to correct them for their next set of games.

"JJ Redick will pay for his crimes," one fan tweeted.

"Dropped 37 and Redick gave him water boy minutes don't make sense," another fan opined.

"Bruh JJ has been terrible lately, why isn't he held accountable too? a fan asked.

Dalton Knecht earned praise from his coach, teammates and fans after a string of performances as a starter. Knecht provides shooing and spacing on offense, but he's not offering a lot on the other end.

"Him and Rui cause the same issues when they start. They both can't guard a parked car. They both can't start," a fan wrote.

"JJ need a new house with deeper basement to watch films now," one fan joked.

"I'm convinced JJ is salty Dalton is playing better than JJ his rookie year," another fan theorized.

Dalton Knecht is averaging 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Knecht is already an integral part of the Lakers' rotation although fans want him to play more.

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NBA analyst questions Dalton Knecht's upside

NBA analyst questions Dalton Knecht's upside. (Photo: IMAGN)

Many LA Lakers fans are happy with Dalton Knecht's rookie campaign so far. Some are even celebrating that the Lakers might have had a steal in a rather weak draft. However, The Ringer's Zach Kram dropped some harsh realizations regarding Knecht's upside.

Kram pointed out that Knecht is already 23 years old and is too old to be a top prospect. He argued that Lakers fans should not treat the rookie as a building block for the future due to his age and upside. He thought that the Tennessee product would be a solid role player.

Some of the prime examples of "veteran" rookies who fell off after a great first year in the league include Kendrick Nunn, Chris Duarte, Jae'Sean Tate and Eric Paschall. Nunn and Paschall are out of the league already, while Tate and Duarte are no longer part of their team's rotation.