Dalton Knecht won’t be part of the Lakers’ summer league picture, and that absence says plenty.
Los Angeles released its California Classic and Las Vegas rosters last week, and Knecht’s name was nowhere to be found. For a player heading into his third year, skipping summer league wouldn’t normally raise eyebrows.
But in this case, the timing feels loaded. Knecht’s role already shrank in his second season, and the Lakers are reshaping the roster around Luka Doncic with LeBron James set to depart.
They’ve also added players who fit the same lane Knecht occupies.
One of them is Cameron Carr, the 24th overall pick, whom the Lakers drafted after he played at Tennessee before transferring to Baylor. Carr was a freshman on the same Tennessee team during Knecht’s SEC Player of the Year season, and now he’s in Los Angeles as another body at a position where Knecht is trying to hold his ground.
Knecht, meanwhile, has kept things quiet. Ahead of his basketball camp at UT, he told reporters he didn’t want to talk about the Lakers.
The Lakers selected Knecht 17th overall out of Tennessee in 2024, and his rookie year looked like a win. He averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes over 78 games, starting 16 times, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from deep. Even that season came with drama, though, as Los Angeles nearly sent him to Charlotte at the deadline before the deal fell apart when Mark Williams failed his physical.
The follow-up season never matched that first burst. Knecht played 54 games in 2025-26, started just once, and saw his minutes fall from 19.2 to 10.2 per game. His scoring dropped to 4.2 points, and he shot 45.5% from the field.
He’s still under contract for now. The Lakers already exercised his $4.2 million team option for 2026-27 back in October, and he also has a roughly $6.5 million option for 2027-28.
Even so, the direction of travel looks clear. Before February’s trade deadline, it was reported that the Lakers shopped Knecht and didn’t find a deal. The expectation is they’ll try again this summer, and Carr’s arrival only adds to the pressure.
While Knecht sits out, Tennessee will still have a strong summer league footprint. Seven former Vols are on NBA summer league rosters across five teams, with three of them on San Antonio’s roster. The 2026 NBA offseason showcase begins July 3 with the California Classic in San Francisco and Sacramento, followed by the Salt Lake City Summer League one day later and the main event in Las Vegas six days after that.
Here’s where the former Vols are set to open play:
Nate Ament, Milwaukee Bucks: Drafted No. 13 overall in the 2026 draft (via Miami). Not on the Bucks’ California Classic roster; expected to debut once Las Vegas Summer League opens July 9, pending the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade becoming official on July 6.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, San Antonio Spurs: Drafted No. 42 overall in the 2026 draft. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center in San Francisco, 8 p.m. ET.
Chaz Lanier, Detroit Pistons: Drafted No. 37 overall in the 2025 draft. Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Philadelphia at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, 5:30 p.m. ET.
Jahmai Mashack, Memphis Grizzlies: Drafted No. 59 overall in the 2025 draft (via Houston). Opens Salt Lake City Summer League on July 4 against Oklahoma City at Jon M.
Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, 3 p.m. ET.
Igor Miličić Jr., San Antonio Spurs: Signed as an undrafted free agent invite after a stint with the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center, 8 p.m. ET.
Felix Okpara, Washington Wizards: Drafted No. 46 overall in the 2026 draft (via Orlando). Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Utah at Thomas & Mack Center, 9 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Vols And Lady Vols Just Put Tennessee Orange Front And Center
Tennessee Athletics spent the week putting a brighter shade of orange in the spotlight, rolling out new adidas uniforms across a wide swath of its programs. The reveal came with high-definition photos and detailed looks at football, mens basketball, Lady Vols basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer, giving fans a first real glimpse at how the new partnership is going to show up on the field and the court.
For coaches and athletic officials, the uniforms were only part of the message. The broader adidas deal was framed as a resource boost for the department, with leaders talking up the support and investment that could come with it. The visual reset is already doing its job, but the bigger question is how quickly that momentum turns into something more meaningful for Tennessees programs. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Offensive Line Just Earned The Kind Of SEC Respect That Matters
With Tennessee likely turning to a new quarterback this season, the Volunteers are leaning on the one part of the offense that already looks established. Most of the offensive line is back, and that matters even more when the next passer in line is expected to be either George MacIntyre or Faizon Brandon, two young quarterbacks with limited college experience. In a league where protection and communication can make or break a season, Tennessees front has already drawn notice as one of the better units in the SEC.
Analyst Steven Lassan ranked the Vols line third in the conference, behind Georgia and Texas, which is the kind of recognition that usually comes with proven depth and continuity. Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee has also seen the benefit in spring practice, where returning pieces and experienced transfers have let the group move faster than a typical rebuild. The bigger question now is how that early stability translates once the games start and the pressure falls on a quarterback who has not taken many college snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees First Orange Adidas Uniform Reveal Will Have Vols Talking
The first look at Tennessees orange home uniforms under Adidas has already given Vols fans a fresh talking point as the program opens a new chapter in its apparel partnership. The reveal marks the start of the Adidas era for Tennessee football, with the university rolling out the new look as part of a broader week of uniform unveilings and a July 10 date set for jerseys and merchandise to hit the market.
Josh Heupel has sounded upbeat about what the partnership can bring, pointing to the resources Adidas can provide and the reach of the Tennessee brand. More designs are still on the way, including white, Summitt Blue and Dark Mode looks, and the real intrigue now is how all of it will translate once the Vols start showing off the full set this fall. [Read more 🡒]