Lakers Expected To Trade Or Waive Dalton Knecht Before Season: Report
· Yahoo Sports
Heading into his third NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, former first-round pick Dalton Knecht might not be on the roster much longer, as reports grow of the 25-year-old being atop the trade list or the chopping block to be waived before the start of the team’s 2026-27 campaign.
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Knecht has had a messy tenure to start his career in Los Angeles, and as he’s never been fully able to break into head coach JJ Redick’s rotation, his time with the Lakers looks like it is coming to an end.
The Lakers are reportedly eyeing a trade for a new backup center, one in which Knecht is expected to be included. However, if they can’t make a deal work, the shooting guard is likely to be the final roster cut as the team gets down to the 15-man limit set by the NBA before the season begins.
Dalton Knecht Lakers Future All But Sealed Amid Trade Rumors, Talks On Roster Cuts
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 13: Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after his made three-point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena on November 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Speaking on the latest episode of his show about the potential of the Lakers making a trade very soon, team insider Jovan Buha said he believes it’s likely Knecht or Jaden Hardy who won’t be on the roster in the next few weeks, but giving the nod to the former.
“And depending on the configuration of the trade, it could be a version of two of the back-end guys, let’s say Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, for a backup center,” he said. “I would say Dalton and Hardy are probably the two guys they’re looking to get off of. If they can’t, then they have to waive one of them. And I think at this point, Hardy is more established. He’s previously played with Luka on that Finals team in 2024, and I think Dalton would be the one that gets waived.”
In similar fashion, NBA insider Brett Siegel made similar comments about Knecht, stating that he’s more likely to be off the team through a trade or roster but ahead of the new season.
“There’s going to be a lot of pressure on Dalton Knecht to fight for this roster spot with Jaden Hardy in training camp,” Siegel said. “One of them is most likely going to be cut, and it wouldn’t shock me if it ended up being Dalton Knecht, but it really does depend on what happens here in training camp for the Lakers.”
The Lakers tried to trade Knecht two seasons ago for big man Mark Williams, but the deal never went through. Now, as Buha said, it appears more than ever that the failed attempt to move him earlier in his career is taking a toll on the young guard.
“I think clearly his confidence has been affected to some degree by being traded and rescinded, then also being dangled basically from that point in trade talks,” he added. “I just don’t see the pathway for Dalton to have a real spot in the rotation. And if that’s the case, I think for both sides, honestly, it’s time to just cut bait and move on.”
Knecht has had a tough time starting his career in Los Angeles, and now there’s a good chance he isn’t on the roster very soon, regardless of whether the Lakers can find a viable trade or not.
LA’s Former First-Round Pick So Far In The NBA
GettyLos Angeles, California November 13, 2024-Lakers Dalton Knecht talks with head coach JJ Redick at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Knecht was selected 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Lakers after a standout collegiate career at the University of Tennessee.
Unlike many rookies playing in the Purple and Gold in the past, Knecht found a decent spot in Redick’s rotation in his rookie season. He ended the year playing in 78 games, including 18 starts, putting up 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 46.1/37.6/76.2 shooting splits in a mostly 3-and-D role.
However, the Lakers attempted to trade Knecht for Williams at the 2025 deadline in a deal that never went through due to a failed physical. In the time since, the shooting guard has taken a huge step back, spending much more time in the G-League since the attempted trade.
This past season, Knecht appeared in just 54 games, playing nearly half the amount of minutes per appearance compared to his rookie season. Though he played solid in the G-League, his NBA averages for the Lakers dropped to 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists on 45.5/34.2/72.7 shooting splits.
Now, it appears Knecht is the most likely candidate to be traded once again or waived before the season. There’s a chance it could be Hardy whom the Lakers decide to move on from, but as Buha and Siegel mentioned, all signs point to it being the former.
If he is waived, Knecht could get a new start somewhere else, but regardless of whether that happens or not, he’s had a tough start to his NBA career playing on a team that famously doesn’t see their young rookies have success.
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