The Los Angeles Lakers waived former first-round pick Dalton Knecht on Monday, reducing their roster to the league-mandated 15 players. Drafted 17th overall in 2024 after a standout career at Tennessee, Knecht started his NBA career with a bang, putting up nearly 19 points on efficient shooting during a nine-game stretch in his rookie season. However, he couldn’t keep that momentum going. After averaging 9.1 points as a rookie, his role shrank dramatically in year two, where he averaged just 4.2 points in barely ten minutes a night. A trade to the Charlotte Hornets in early 2025 for Mark Williams fell through because of a failed physical, keeping him in Los Angeles. Over the recent preseason, Knecht struggled, averaging less than three points on poor shooting. The Lakers looked to move him and another player in a package for a big man, but the deadline passed without a deal. Coach JJ Redick noted that the team’s needs simply shifted, and with several new wing players added, Knecht found himself on the outside looking in.
