The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a strict roster crunch as the organization works to consolidate its lineup and trim down to the league maximum of at least 15 players ahead of the regular season. According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the preferred avenue for the franchise remains a trade, though no concrete deals have materialized as training camp winds down. Among the players caught in this late-summer uncertainty is third-year guard Dalton Knecht.
Knecht originally arrived in Los Angeles as the 17th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, producing a blistering start during his rookie campaign by averaging 9.1 points in 19.2 minutes across 78 games, including 16 starts, according to reporting from BasketNews. However, his trajectory shifted following a series of roster changes, a rescinded trade involving the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams, and a dip in his shooting numbers by the middle of the 2024-25 season.
Ahead of the team’s preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets, head coach JJ Redick offered a blunt assessment regarding why Knecht has fallen out of the regular rotation.
I think the biggest thing is the team changed. The team changed, the needs changed, the fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years,
Redick told reporters during his pregame press conference, as noted by BasketNews via Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation. I think each guy, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. I think just coming into this year, we’ve added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.
During the previous 2025-26 season, Knecht saw his playing time drop significantly. He appeared in 54 games with just one start, averaging 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in roughly 10 minutes per contest while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Preseason Performance and Roster Uncertainty
Knecht’s opportunities during the preseason did little to clarify his standing in the rotation. He logged 12 minutes in the team’s October 5 opener, going scoreless with two rebounds and one assist. He followed with an 11-point performance in 22 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back, shooting 3-of-9 from the floor and 1-of-4 from three-point range.
Trying to make a trade (Knecht or Hardy) vs eating a salary. Would love to make a 2-for-1 deal, but not finding much traction on that. https://t.co/wISv8Ttmm0
After sitting out the third preseason game against the Sacramento Kings, Knecht played six minutes in the fourth exhibition outing, missing both shot attempts and finishing scoreless. Despite sliding down the depth chart and drawing trade rumors stretching from the trade deadline through the offseason, Knecht maintained an upbeat outlook during Lakers Media Day.
It’s always high. My confidence will never drop no matter what the situation is,
Knecht said. I know what type of player I am and what I’m capable of. So I always just think that I’m one of the best players on the court.
When asked what the coaching staff expects from him to secure minutes, Knecht pointed to fundamental contributions. I would say it’s probably gonna be the same as my rookie year and sophomore year,
he stated during Media Day. I would say that shoot the ball when I’m open and rebound the ball. So those are the two biggest things. And just got to show high effort on the defensive end.
