The Los Angeles Lakers are actively shopping third-year forward Dalton Knecht, and time is running out to get a deal done. With the 2026-27 season kicking off soon, and teams needing to finalize their rosters, Knecht looks like the odd man out, per Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. The Knicks are also in similar talks to move Pacome Dadiet, but for the Lakers, it’s all about finding a new home for their 25-year-old forward before the deadline hits.
From Promising Rookie to Bench Warmer: What Happened to Knecht’s Role?
Man, it’s a rough turn for Knecht. He actually got some decent run his rookie year back in 2024-25, you know? But then a trade for Mark Williams with the Charlotte Hornets fell through, and it just seemed to tank his role and, honestly, probably his trust in the whole organization. Fast forward to 2025-26, and his minutes got sliced in half. His production? Yeah, that got cut in half too. He averaged a measly 10.2 minutes over 54 games last season, only starting once. His stats dipped hard from 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game in his rookie year to just 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 2025-26. That’s a brutal drop. The Lakers have been trying to trade him all offseason, but still no dice.
The Roster Crunch Is Real, Even With Coach’s Praise
Here’s the kicker: his role is set to shrink even *more* this season. Why? Because the Lakers went out and signed Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams this winter. Plus, they drafted Cameron Carr in the first round. All those guys are ahead of Knecht on the depth chart. The Lakers are sitting at 16 players on standard NBA deals right now, and they absolutely have to cut that down to 15 before the regular season tips off. We’re talking less than a week from now. Khobi Price of the California Post wrote that multiple rival executives expect Knecht to be the one on the chopping block. Despite all this, head coach JJ Redick still had some good things to say about the guy heading into the season. “First of all, he’s been a pro,” Redick said. “He’s been in the gym. Like he has since Day 1, he 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.” That’s high praise, sure, but it doesn’t change the numbers game on the roster.
The clock is seriously ticking for the Lakers. They’ve got to make a decision by Monday at 2:00 p.m. PT. What do they do? Do they find a taker for Knecht, or do they just outright cut a guy that their coach is still praising? It’s going to be a tense few days for that front office.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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