Dalton Knecht’s Lakers future is suddenly looking a little less settled.
The former Tennessee standout is heading into his third NBA season, but the conversation around him has shifted from trade chatter to something even more precarious: whether he could be a roster cut when training camp decisions get made. NBA insider Brett Siegel put Knecht on a Thursday list of players he’s “keeping an eye on” for potential cuts, alongside Cam Christie, Kris Murray, Jordan Hawkins, Dwight Powell and Pat Connaughton.
Siegel wrote that these six teams “must make roster decisions before start of season.”
For Knecht, the concern starts with how last season played out. In his second year, he averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 58 games while logging 10.2 minutes per appearance and making one start.
That was a clear drop from his rookie year, when he took 557 shots. Last season, that number fell all the way to 191.
The Lakers’ uncertainty around him has been building for a while. Knecht was already part of a deal at the trade deadline during his rookie season, only for the move to Charlotte to be voided after the Hornets’ trade piece failed his physical with the Lakers. Since then, his name has kept popping up in trade speculation, including again at this past season’s deadline, with the lack of usage fueling talk that his value had slipped.
That reduced role has been hard to miss. Knecht’s production didn’t leap off the page, and the stop-and-start nature of his minutes made it tough for him to find any rhythm. The message from the Lakers and head coach JJ Redick seems pretty clear: the plan for him has thinned out.
“First of all, he’s been a pro,” Redick said of Knecht on Thursday. “He’s been in the gym.
Like he has since Day 1, has worked his butt off all offseason. And he’s had a good three days of practice.
So I don’t think his approach changes. I know he’s hungry to play and hungry to earn a spot in the rotation.”
There’s still no official report that the Lakers want to move on from him. For now, this is all speculation. But with training camp decisions looming, Knecht is firmly on the radar as a name worth watching.
A fresh start could end up being the best outcome if things keep trending this way. At 25, he may be the kind of player who benefits from a new uniform and a clearer path somewhere else. For the moment, though, the smoke is real enough to keep an eye on.
In Other News...
Auburn Suddenly Has A Real Opening To Flip Its SEC Outlook
Tennessee heads into Saturdays matchup with Auburn at Neyland Stadium carrying a little more uncertainty than it did a week ago. College football analyst Josh Pate pointed to the season-ending injury to starting guard Wendell Moe as a real concern for the Volunteers, and he also flagged the pressure the quarterback absorbed in the most recent game as another sign the offense may have some answers to find before SEC play tightens up.
Auburn, meanwhile, sees a path if it can clean up its own issues in the run game and get steadier quarterback play. Against a ranked Tennessee team, those are not small fixes, but they are the kind that can change how a conference season feels in a hurry, especially in a road game where the atmosphere and the line of scrimmage will matter from the opening snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Saw These Arch Manning Concerns Before Everyone Else
Arch Mannings stock has been under a microscope for a while, and the latest reminder comes from ESPN scout Jordan Reid, who moved the Texas junior to fourth among quarterback prospects in his newest draft rankings. Reid still likes the raw tools, but the concern has become familiar for anyone who has watched Manning closely: the physical traits are obvious, while the sharper parts of quarterback play, especially reading defenses and tightening up his mechanics, still need work.
For Tennessee fans, the interesting part is how early some of those warning signs felt apparent. Texas coaches have also been dialing back Mannings designed runs to keep him protected, and that cautious approach may be affecting both his rhythm and his decision-making. It leaves a quarterback with plenty of upside, but also one whose development is still being shaped by the way his own team is trying to manage him. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee May Need Its Ground Game More Than Ever Against Auburn
Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium could turn into the kind of game where the elements matter almost as much as the matchup. The 17th-ranked Volunteers are set to host Auburn at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the early forecast points to a strong chance of rain and thunderstorms, a setup that could make throwing the ball a tougher proposition for both teams.
If that happens, Tennessee may be able to lean into one of its clearer strengths. The Vols enter with the third-ranked rushing attack in the conference, while Auburn brings a ground game fueled by senior Jeremiah Cobb and quarterback Byrum Brown. In a game like this, whichever side stays committed on the ground may end up with the cleaner path to controlling the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]