Dalton Knecht’s time with the Lakers ended before the regular season even began, but his next stop could come on a contending team looking for offense.
Los Angeles waived the former first-round pick on Monday after a trade never came together, closing the book on a preseason stretch where his role kept shrinking. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, “The Los Angeles Lakers are waiving 2024 No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, sources tell ESPN,"
Before that move became official, Lakers coach JJ Redick laid out why Knecht barely saw the floor.
“I think the biggest thing is the team changed. The team changed.
Needs changed, the fit changed. I think he’s gotten better as a player the last two years.
I think, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the injuries we had. I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now,” Redick said.
Even with his exit from Los Angeles, Knecht is drawing real interest. The New York Knicks are among the teams monitoring him, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
“Knicks are among the teams with interest in former Laker Dalton Knecht, per league sources familiar with Knecth’s market. Knecht was waived prior to regular season.
He’s eligible to sign a two-way deal. The Stein Line said earlier MIN had interest in Knecht,” SNY’s Ian Begley posted.
There’s a growing sense that Knecht could still find a fit in the right system, and New York is one of the teams in the mix. If he lands with the Knicks, the expectation would be simple: bring scoring. His chances to crack the rotation would likely come when players like OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are out, though even then his role could be limited because he would be on a two-way deal.
In Other News...
Clippers Enter First Lakers Showdown With A Problem They Can't Hide
The first Lakers-Clippers meeting of the season arrives with both sides carrying a familiar early-season burden: the injury report. The Lakers have already ruled out Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero, while Jake LaRavia remains questionable, but the bigger news on their side is that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both available for a matchup that always draws extra attention in Los Angeles.
The Clippers, meanwhile, are heading into tomorrow night with a longer list of absences that will shape how they can match up across the floor. Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Max Strus are all out, leaving them with some real roster questions before the teams even tip off. For a rivalry game that is supposed to provide an early read on the season, the missing bodies may end up being part of the story right away. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Center Search Keeps Pulling Mavericks Into An Uncomfortable Debate
The Lakers have already added Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney to shore up their center rotation, but the search for more depth at the position is still going. Los Angeles has explored trade discussions for Jericho Sims and continues to monitor the market for additional big men, a sign that the front office is still trying to find the right mix behind its current options.
One name that keeps coming up in broader roster chatter is PJ Washington, whose fit has been discussed as a way to complement what the Lakers have in place. For now, the center conversation is less about a finished answer than about how far the team wants to go in reshaping that part of the roster, and whether the next move comes from a trade or from a market that is still being watched closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers May Regret Letting Dalton Knecht Get Another NBA Chance
Dalton Knechts path back into the league did not take long to materialize after the Lakers moved on from him before the regular season. The former Los Angeles forward has now landed with the Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, and New York wasted little time making its interest known once he cleared waivers. For a player who was left searching for a landing spot, the move gives him another real shot to prove he belongs.
The Knicks are treating Knecht like more than a flyer, and that alone makes this one worth tracking for the Lakers. He is expected to compete for a role on New Yorks roster, which means this is not just a depth signing, but a chance for him to carve out a place with a team that pursued him aggressively. If he sticks, it will only sharpen the question of whether Los Angeles gave up on him a little too early. [Read more 🡒]