Lakers Waive Dalton Knecht In Roster Cuts After Poor Preseason

The Los Angeles Lakers waived 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht a day before opening day, the team announced.

The Lakers had 16 players under contract and needed to cut one to make the 15-man roster allowed before the league deadline.

Knecht was drafted with the 17th overall pick in 2024 following his junior season at the University of Tennessee. During his rookie season, Knecht started hot with a nine-game stretch in November, averaging 18.9 points on 55.4% shooting (52.2% from 3), 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Since then, he hasn’t been able to replicate the potential fans saw.

In February 2025, the Lakers traded Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams, but the trade was rescinded after Williams failed the physical exam.

Knecht finished his rookie season averaging 9.1 points on 46.1% shooting (37.6% from 3) and 2.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes across 78 games. In his second season, his playing time was cut to 10.2 minutes in 54 games, and he averaged 4.2 points on 45.5% shooting (34.2% from 3) and 1.4 rebounds.

During the 2026 preseason, Knecht averaged 2.8 points on 25% shooting (14.3% from 3) and 1.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game.

Sources told ESPN that the Lakers looked for a 2-for-1 trade to move Knecht and another player and add another big man to the roster, but they couldn’t find a deal by the deadline.

Before their last preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked what he thought stalled Knecht’s momentum with the franchise.

“I think the biggest thing is the team changed,” Redick said. “The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. So, I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”