Dalton Knecht is getting another shot in the NBA, this time with the New York Knicks.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the former Tennessee standout has agreed to sign a two-way contract with the Knicks, giving him a path to split time between New York’s NBA roster and its G League affiliate. For Knecht, that setup could mean exactly what he needs right now: minutes, reps and a chance to show he still belongs on an NBA floor.
It’s been a rough stretch for the former first-round pick. The Los Angeles Lakers cut him right before the season began, a tough outcome for any player and an especially sharp one so soon after draft day. That timing made the search for a new landing spot even trickier.
Knecht’s rookie year showed promise, especially because of his shooting. But last season went in the wrong direction fast.
His production dropped, his role shrank and he was eventually removed from the Lakers’ rotation altogether. In the minutes he did get, he struggled, and that put him out of favor with the coaching staff.
For reserve players, coaches want dependability. Knecht didn’t give the Lakers enough of that, and it cost him.
Still, the fact that another team stepped in matters. The Knicks clearly see enough there to bring him aboard, and now the challenge is on Knecht to turn this opportunity into something bigger.
He’ll need to prove he can contribute in a role, not just pile up points. Even in the G League, the priority is showing he can fit in as a useful piece rather than trying to be the headline act.
The good news for Knecht is simple: his NBA career isn’t over. He’s found a new path, and this could be the reset he needs to turn himself into the player he’s capable of becoming.
In Other News...
Tennessee Heads To South Carolina With Plenty Riding On Saturday
Saturdays trip to Williams-Brice Stadium gives Tennessee another chance to steady itself in SEC play, and the Volunteers are making the familiar road adjustment with a uniform choice that has become part of the conversation too. Tennessee is slated to wear its all-white look for the third time this season, a small detail on the surface, but one that fits into a week where every part of the buildup seems to matter a little more.
Josh Heupel has spent the week talking through the challenge of preparing for a road game in conference play, where the noise and the margin for error both tend to tighten up. George MacIntyre is expected to start at quarterback, adding another layer of intrigue to a matchup Tennessee can ill afford to treat like routine, especially with so much riding on the outcome. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Enters A Tricky South Carolina Test With One Clear Edge
Coming off a win over Alabama, Tennessee heads into Saturdays SEC trip to Columbia with momentum and a roster that is in better shape than most teams this late in the season. The Volunteers are 6-1, and while they are still dealing with six season-ending injuries, they have avoided the kind of widespread attrition that can make a road game at Williams-Brice Stadium far more complicated than the record on paper suggests.
South Carolina is sitting at 3-3, but the Gamecocks are at least healthy enough to remain a tricky opponent at home, even with running back Jawarn Howell newly added to the injury list. Oddsmakers have the Gamecocks favored by 2.5 points, which says plenty about the challenge in front of Tennessee and the respect South Carolina has earned in this spot. The bigger question for the Volunteers is whether that clear edge in health translates into the kind of road performance that keeps their momentum rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Dalton Knecht Gets A Fresh NBA Shot After Lakers Exit
Dalton Knecht has found a new landing spot after his run with the Lakers came to an abrupt end before the regular season. The former Tennessee standout has signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, giving him a chance to split time between the NBA roster and the G League as he tries to carve out his next role.
For Volunteers fans, it is another step in a pro career that has already taken a sharp turn after two seasons with Los Angeles. Knechts college resume at Tennessee made him one of the more watchable players to follow from that 2024 draft class, and now he gets a fresh opportunity in New York, where the path back to a steady NBA spot is still there if he can make the most of it. [Read more 🡒]