The Los Angeles Lakers have parted ways with Dalton Knecht ahead of the deadline. The forward was still the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick, but had not featured in recent matches.
This move was necessary as the Lakers had 16 players on the team with guaranteed contracts, whilst only 15 are permitted. Just over two years ago, the Californian side had selected the shooter with the 17th pick, but after a promising start to his rookie season, Knecht’s form dropped significantly and he barely featured.
Last season, the small forward averaged just 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes and featured in only 51 matches. Furthermore, his three-point shooting percentage of 34.2 per cent – on 2.1 attempts per match – was not good enough to mask his sometimes questionable defence.
As early as February 2025, Knecht was on the verge of leaving the Lakers; at the time, the 25-year-old was involved in a trade for Mark Williams of the Charlotte Hornets, which subsequently fell through because the centre failed his medical with the Lakers.
Prior to Knecht’s release, the Lakers also held a number of trade talks in an attempt to find a taker for the shooter, but these were unsuccessful. Jaden Hardy, Bronny James and Jarred Vanderbilt were considered as other possible candidates for release, but they are all now set to start the new season with the Lakers.