Former Tennessee standout Dalton Knecht has landed in a new spot, and Rick Barnes thinks the change comes at the right time.
Knecht, who was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the season, signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks a few days later. The move closes out a rocky stretch in Los Angeles, where the former Vol spent two years after going 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. A failed trade situation during his rookie season added to the uncertainty, and Barnes made it clear he believes Knecht was never fully able to shake that experience.
Speaking Monday at the Knoxville Quarterbacks Club, Barnes addressed Knecht’s situation and said the forward needed a reset. The video and audio came from WVLT’s John Sartori.
“What we tell everyone, once you leave college, you’re no longer a player. You’re an asset.
They don’t look at you - it’s strictly business,” Barnes said. “And when they traded him to the Charlotte Hornets and that trade didn’t work, it really affected him.
Because he found out real quick, hey, maybe they really don’t want me here. I’m not sure he ever totally recovered from it.
I think he needed a new start. I think he’s with a team that needs some outside shooting… You look at the Knicks, they need some of that.
I know he’s excited. I think it’s good that he gets back here - Dalton’s going to work.
But he really got knocked off course and he just never was able to regain it back in L.A.”
The two-way agreement with New York means Knecht will split time between the NBA and the G League. Players on those deals can be active for up to 50 NBA games, and they are not eligible for the playoffs unless the contract is converted. Teams are allowed to carry as many as three two-way players, and those players must have four or fewer years of NBA experience.
Knecht’s numbers with the Lakers showed a player whose role had shrunk. In 54 games during his second season, he started once and averaged 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists.
He shot 45.5% from the floor and 34.2% from three. His second year also came with a much lighter workload, as he took 366 fewer shots than he did as a rookie.
Before reaching the NBA, Knecht built his name the hard way. He began at the junior college level, then broke through as a scorer at Northern Colorado.
His final college stop was Tennessee, where he became one of the nation’s top players. In his lone season with the Vols, he averaged 21.7 points on 45.8% shooting and 39.7% from beyond the arc, along with 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
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