The Lakers have decided Dalton Knecht is the odd man out.
After trying to work out a trade and coming up empty before Monday’s roster deadline, Los Angeles is waiving the former first-round pick, according to the report. The move gets the Lakers down to 15 standard contracts, but it also leaves them without the frontcourt addition they were chasing.
Knecht’s run in Los Angeles is over after the team drafted him No. 17 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers had been looking for a way to trim the roster and add size at the same time, but the market never lined up for a deal that satisfied everyone involved.
That was part of a broader logjam across the league. The Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies were all trying to solve roster issues through trades, but none of them found an agreement they were willing to live with. In each case, a waiver ended up being the final move before the deadline.
For Los Angeles, the fallout is twofold. Knecht is gone, but his salary still stays on the books this season. And the Lakers didn’t solve their center situation in the process.
The club had explored ways to land a big man while also reducing its roster count. One avenue the Lakers looked into involved Milwaukee’s Jericho Sims, though the Bucks were not receptive to the draft compensation that was discussed. The Lakers were also weighing two-for-one deals that could have brought in a center while clearing a spot.
That kind of trade would have accomplished both goals in one shot. Waiving Knecht only handles the roster math. It does not bring back a player in return, and it does not add the size the Lakers were seeking.
Los Angeles still has Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney available as frontcourt options. That search for another big man is not necessarily over, but if the Lakers do make another move, it will have to come separately now that the roster is at 15.
Knecht’s cap hit for this season is $4.2 million, and he has no salary obligation for next season. His 2026-27 salary is listed at $4,201,080, so this is not an immediate $4.2 million clean break from the books.
The roster decision also leaves Bronny James and Jaden Hardy on the team. What it does settle is the question of which player Los Angeles would move to meet the limit. What it does not settle is the bigger issue the Lakers were trying to solve before Monday passed: they came looking for an upgrade, and they walked away without one.
In Other News...
Hawks Face A Roster Squeeze If This Big Man Hits The Market
With the October 19 roster deadline approaching, Moussa Cisse has emerged as one of the more interesting names to monitor around the league. The Dallas Mavericks may be forced to make a tough call, and if Cisse reaches the market, there should be no shortage of teams taking a look. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers have all shown interest in the big man, giving his situation a little more weight than the usual end-of-camp churn.
For the Lakers, this is the kind of low-cost opportunity that can matter as teams sort through the final edges of their roster. Cisse has not been linked to any transaction yet, and nothing has been decided, but the fact that multiple clubs are watching suggests there could be a real scramble if he becomes available. Atlanta is in the same conversation, and the Hawks would be dealing with their own roster squeeze as they assess whether there is room to act before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Frontcourt Search Could Force A Tough Roster Decision
The Lakers are still piecing together their frontcourt depth as the regular season approaches, and the calendar is starting to tighten on how they manage the back end of the roster. Los Angeles has until Oct. 19 to get down to 15 standard contracts, and one possible path to extra size could come from the Dallas side if the Mavericks move on from center Moussa Cisse.
If that opens up, the Lakers would have to make room somewhere, and the cleanest way could be to part with one of their two-way players. Arthur Kaluma or AK Okereke would be the likeliest names in that conversation, which turns a simple insurance move into a real roster-choice dilemma for a team already trying to balance present need with long-term flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Sexton Just Made Lakers Backcourt Decisions A Lot Tougher
Collin Sexton was back in full practice with the Lakers on Monday as he works through lower-leg tightness, a welcome step for a team trying to sort out its backcourt before the regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors. The injury had slowed his ramp-up, but getting him back on the floor at least gives Los Angeles a clearer read on where he stands physically.
His status for opening night is still up in the air, and the Lakers are treating it as a day-by-day situation. Even without a final decision yet, Sextons progress adds another layer to the rotation puzzle, since his return could force the staff to rethink how it pieces together the backcourt and the lineup around it. [Read more 🡒]