The Lakers opened preseason with a 127-103 rout of the Sacramento Kings on Monday at the Golden 1 Center, but Robert Horry came away seeing more than just a lopsided win.
On the latest episode of the Big Shot Bob Podcast, the former Laker said Jarred Vanderbilt’s situation looks shaky and gave Dalton Knecht a harsh read after watching the game.
“When you look at the roster, you look at [Matisse] Thybulle, you look at [Ziaire] Williams, you look at all the guys they brought in, they’re all the same size,” Horry said. “They do the same thing as Vando and Dalton Knecht… As a player, you look at in the offseason who you bringing in?
‘Oh s***, you brought in a bunch of guards? I’m fine.’
“All of a sudden, you got a small forward, a power forward, and another mix like me,” Horry continued. “Oh f***, now I got to practice… Even watching last night, you can see, I hate to say this, I love Vando.
You can just tell in the body language. He knows his time is coming.
“And then you look at Dalton Knecht,” Horry added. “He’s just such a deer in headlights.
He clueless to what’s going on. But it’s going to be really interesting to [see] what they can do.
It’s probably going to be some type of package where you move Dalton and Vando and get a guard.”
That trade chatter isn’t coming out of nowhere. Knecht and Vanderbilt were both reportedly shopped over the summer, and Vanderbilt was said to have been offered to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the package for Jonathan Kuminga, though that deal never got done.
The Lakers have also spent years trying to move Vanderbilt, but his contract has made that tough. He signed a four-year, $48 million extension in 2023, and it took effect in 2024.
That deal has become a burden for Los Angeles. Vanderbilt brings defense, but his offense is limited enough that he can’t be counted on for major playoff minutes. And with a contract like that, finding a taker is no easy job.
Vanderbilt is still owed two more years, with a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28. The 27-year-old is expected to pick it up, which would keep him on the books for another two seasons for whichever team has him. That kind of commitment is exactly what scares off trade partners.
For now, the Lakers have 16 players on standard contracts and need to trim down to 15 by Oct. 21.
Vanderbilt may not be the preferred piece to keep around, but he doesn’t appear to be the most likely player to go. That would be Knecht.
The 25-year-old flashed promise early in his rookie season after Los Angeles took him with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but the last 18 months or so have been rough. Against Sacramento, he finished with two rebounds and one assist, missed his only shot, and played 12 minutes.
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