The Lakers are heading into training camp with a roster crunch already hanging over them, and Dalton Knecht has quickly become one of the most watchable names in the mix.
Los Angeles is over the roster limit after a summer full of trades and signings, which means the front office has to clear space somehow. One path is a consolidation trade, and Lakers insider Jovan Buha said a two-for-one type deal looks like the cleanest route.
“My understanding is a consolidation trade. Obviously, it would be two-for-one, three-for-one, or three-for-two is a little more complicated," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said."So I think the most straightforward one would be two-for-one…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."
If a trade doesn’t materialize, the Lakers may be forced to make a cut instead. Buha pointed to three players as the names most at risk earlier in the summer.
“Clearly, the Lakers need to dump someone, and I think it's going to be one of three players," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said."It's going to either be Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, or Bronny James."
Now that it’s October and camp is about to get rolling, the pressure is only rising. NBA insider Brett Siegel has now identified Knecht as a legitimate cut candidate.
“Key names we are keeping an eye on as potential roster cuts in training camp: LAL: Dalton Knecht,” Siegel wrote.
That’s a sharp turn for a player who opened his rookie year so strongly. Since that hot start, Knecht hasn’t done much to strengthen his standing with the organization, and the sense around him has changed fast.
For Knecht, the most likely outcome may be a reset somewhere else, where he can get a cleaner shot and a more defined role. He still looks like someone who can play in the NBA.
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