The Lakers, who entered the day with 16 players on standard guaranteed contracts, are waiving former first-round pick Dalton Knecht in order to set their 15-man roster for the regular season, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The team has officially put out a press release confirming the move.
The 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Knecht got off to a promising start as a rookie but soon saw his production and playing time drop off. In 2025/26, he averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game over the course of 51 appearances. Known as a three-point marksman, the former Tennessee standout made just 34.2% of 2.1 attempts per game in his second NBA season.
Knecht was included in a trade that sent him to Charlotte at the 2025 in-season deadline, but that deal was rescinded two days later after the Lakers balked at the results of Mark Williams’ physical. While Knecht remained in Los Angeles for another season-and-a-half following that failed trade, his place in the team’s long-term plans appeared increasingly tenuous, especially after a series of free agent additions this offseason left L.A. with more guaranteed contracts than regular season roster spots.
The Lakers reportedly scoured the trade market in recent weeks in an effort to find a two-for-one deal to address their roster crunch or to simply find a taker for Knecht. However, the 25-year-old had negative trade value on his $4.2MM cap hit and Los Angeles had limited draft capital available to attach as sweeteners in order to extract something of value in return for him.
In the end, the Lakers simply opted to waive Knecht and eat his guaranteed salary for 2026/27 rather than attaching one or more of their three remaining second-round picks to move off his contract. As a result of the waiver, Knecht’s $6.45MM rookie scale team option for ’27/28 will be voided and he’s on track to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. He would be eligible to sign a two-way contract with another team.
Knecht’s release ensures that other back-of-the-roster players like Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, and Jarred Vanderbilt will open the regular season with the Lakers, who are now carrying 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.
Bronny sells out G League arenas, that’s why he gets the nod over Dalton Knecht. The NBA needs Bronny for that reason only!
I was just coming to say why not Bronny…
Not the only reason. Bronny’s only 22 and has shown some promise as a matchup dependant perimeter defender. If he shows that the .386 three point shooting from last season is sustainable he could carve out a GPII type role. Knecht is a 25 shooting specialist whose shot ain’t all that special.
Bronny is nothing like GP2 mate. GP2 is a one of a kind Swiss Army knife
This is delusional
Kid needs a charge of scenery , was like watching Steve Sax in 1988. Trying to make a standard throw from 2b … major yips
He needs to change countries/leagues, not teams. He’d do well in Europe or China.
How many posters on here were in everyones comments telling them to trade for Knecht? Uhh why, when they could get just him for free? This is why none of yall are in nba front offices lol
How many of those 2 years ago said he was teh steal of the draft? Oh how wrong were they. Reason he fell in the draft is because he can’t play defense.
The fact that he was pretty much unplayable last year, and they had the audacity to act like he still had trade value was really interesting…its why I say “ydkb” lol
The “steals” of that draft were Cam Spencer at #53 and Ajay Mitchell at #38 and Kel’el Ware at #15. Also Baylor Scheierman at #30 was a good one.
This is the kind of player that will thrive in a HEAT development cycle …. too bad the HEAT don’t use use that 15th spot.
He will get a two way. Bronny sells gleague tickets and will be gone and out of the league by next year. Remember this is a business and any business has policies. They can just cut bronny after big him up last two years. However neither player is in their plans
Shooters who can’t shoot tend to not stick around long.
JJ Podcast really hates this guy!
DK is a classic jump shooter, with 3 pt range, NOT a 3 pt specialist. That may be part of the problem. Using him as a 3 pt specialist, or rotational floor spacer (taking a handful of 3 pt shots a game), likely puts him in an overall role in which he likely won’t excel. The other part of the problem is he’s not a top 2 offensive option, so there isn’t an obvious role where he can excel.
Memphis should pick him up. He’s an NBA player imo.
Lakers didn’t think he was ready. They should of had him in G-league for first year. Or two to work with him. So unproductive to give up on 1st rd picks.
Knecht had the advantage of playing with 2 of the best passers in the NBA and one of the most offensively gifted backcourts. If he could consistently shoot from 3, another team would’ve have traded for him when the Lakers were offering to give him away
Nobody whose opinion matters thinks he’s an NBA player
We’ll see. I see better than half the experts out there. I got the numbers, I keep count. Been doing it all my life. I got the bollas to call it and talk about it. Nobody is right all the time. If I did it for a living. Be even better. I called Duren best center in draft. I said Warriors should move Dra for him . They all acted like you do. Who got eyes lol.
Please tell me who your team. Or who you think are top teams. Please. Then who next stars are. Please
What numbers?? You’ve got nothing
Go to charlotte
Love the experts think Bronny is a real,player. He is a joke. Terrible shooter. 6’2” of nada. Dalton will do fine away from that circus.
Adios to the era of “Dalton Knecht + Jared Vanderbilt for Good Player X” mock trades