The 76ers are still early in what amounts to a preseason tryout, but they can already start mapping out who might fit when the final roster spot opens up around midseason. One name worth keeping on the radar is Lakers wing Dalton Knecht, who suddenly looks like the odd man out in Los Angeles.
According to the New York Post’s Khobi Price, multiple rival executives believe Knecht is the player most likely to be cut by the Lakers. Los Angeles currently has 16 players on standard NBA contracts, so one move has to come before the team gets down to the league limit of 15, not including two-way players. If Knecht is the one who gets squeezed out, Philadelphia would be smart to stay ready.
There’s a real case for the 76ers to circle him as a possible midseason pickup. After a promising rookie year, Knecht stalled with the Lakers as his role shrank enough that he never got much of a chance to make an imprint. That’s a big reason the latest rumor points to him as the most likely roster casualty in LA.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is pretty clear. Knecht is only 25, and he brings a trait the 76ers value: three-point shooting.
He hit nearly 38 percent from deep in his freshman campaign on solid volume. This past season, that number slid to 34.2 percent, but that dip comes with context.
He was averaging only 10.2 minutes per game, and shooters usually need more runway than that to find any kind of rhythm.
The 76ers could use the help. They were a bottom-third team in all three-point shooting metrics last season, so adding a young shooter like Knecht would fit a clear need.
If the roster spot is still there when the time comes, Philadelphia should take a hard look. A new environment might be exactly what he needs.
In Other News...
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For a roster that has been looking to sharpen its depth, Simons brings a different kind of pressure for opponents to manage. A bench scorer of his caliber can change the rhythm of a game, and the 76ers are clearly betting that his shot-making will make their reserve group a lot tougher to sit through. [Read more 🡒]
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For Hukporti, this could be the kind of opening that changes the conversation around his career. He did not have much room to carve out steady minutes with the Knicks, but Philadelphia may offer a clearer path if he can hold his own in camp. If he turns that opportunity into real rotation value, it would give the 76ers an early payoff for making the move in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Maxey Just Put Huge Pressure On VJ Edgecombe
Tyrese Maxey has already put a spotlight on VJ Edgecombe before the season even gets rolling, calling the rookie the most important player on the 76ers for what comes next. That is a notable layer of expectation on a player who is still expected to find his footing, but the role is clear enough: Edgecombe is being counted on to bring life off the ball, help with passing, knock down threes and fit into an offense that needs movement and pace around its top creators.
The defensive end may be where the pressure really gathers. Philadelphia wants Edgecombe taking on the opponents toughest backcourt assignment, which says plenty about how quickly the team believes he can matter. Even with other All-NBA talent on the roster, the 76ers seem to view his energy and all-around skill as a swing factor, and how he handles that responsibility could tell a lot about how smoothly this group comes together. [Read more 🡒]