When a team blows out an opponent in the fashion that the Knicks did, there's often a lot to talk about. Jalen Brunson's 33 points, highlighted by his 22-point first quarter which outscored the Bull entire team was of note. Tyler Kolek's ascension to the backup point guard role stood out as well.

But amid all that went on Wednesday night, it was also Dalton Knecht's Knicks debut, and his performance made one thing clear: he's hungry for a role with the team.

Dalton Knecht showed Knicks plenty to like in his first game

One game obviously shouldn't, and won't, earn him a rotation spot. Especially when that one game was against a now 1-7 Bulls team and saw Josh Hart out with injury.

That doesn't take away from how promising last night was. When the Lakers waived the former first round pick on Oct. 19, the Knicks pounced on the opportunity, banking on his shooting, size, and solid athleticism.

On Wednesday night against the Bulls, all of those things were on display. And not only did Knecht showcase the qualities the Knicks had hoped to build off of, the forward was able to do so without being exposed of his previously maligned shortcomings.

The former Laker scored 10 points, which came in a myriad of ways. Within minutes of his Knicks debut, he soared up for an emphatic putback dunk off of missed corner three-pointer from Shamet. He then went on to make two threes, including one in transition. Knecht also chipped in seven rebounds, a block and an off-the-dribble step back.

And just minutes before his second three swished through the net, he had a sweet lob assist that led to an Andre Drummond layup. In a game that was never really close, Knecht did everything he could to warrant future considerations. He made his shots, rebounded, and defended well enough without the head-scratching defensive mistakes that haunted him as a Laker.

As was the case for guys like Kolek and Diawara, Knecht's rise into the rotation, if it ever does happen, won't happen overnight. Barring multiple injuries, he'll have to continue to prove that he can be consistent enough defensively.

Everybody in that building knows Knecht has the offensive skillset to be somewhat useful. He's athletic enough, can cut, and is a known shooter. But it will ultimately be his defensive improvements that get him on the court and help him stay there.

Once Hart returns it will be extremely difficult to find enough time for Knecht as things stand. Kolek and Jose Alvarado make up the entirety of the non-Brunson point guard minutes. Landry Shamet, who'll likely slot back into the bench, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara all stand ahead of Knecht on the depth chart.

That being said, Knecht couldn't have done much more on Wednesday. It was a great first step and sets him up nicely for more looks going forward.