The Los Angeles Lakers face a fast-approaching deadline that could go a long way toward determining Dalton Knecht‘s future with the franchise.
Knecht is entering his third professional season and is set to earn $4.2 million in 2026-27 as part of his four-year, $18.4 million rookie-scale contract.
However, the final season of that deal remains under team control.
The Lakers have until October 31 to exercise Knecht’s option for 2027-28. Should they decline it, the 25-year-old would be on course to become an unrestricted free agent during the 2027 offseason.
Lakers Face Major Decision Over Dalton Knecht’s Future
With the deadline approaching, there is growing reason to question whether the Lakers will commit to another season of Knecht.
His trajectory has changed considerably since the Charlotte Hornets trade was rescinded in February 2025. Knecht struggled to recapture the form that briefly made him one of Los Angeles’ most exciting young players during the early stages of his rookie campaign.
If the Lakers decline his option, Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts believes there would be little reason to keep Knecht beyond the February 2027 trade deadline, potentially bringing his time in Los Angeles to an early conclusion.
“The Lakers would love to move on, but they have to decide if they want to make him an expiring contract or try to rebuild his trade value,” Watts wrote.
“If the Lakers decline his option, there is no reason to keep him beyond the trade deadline. They will either trade him or just buy him out. Knecht would be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and Los Angeles would be limited in what they could pay to bring him back.”
Los Angeles has explored potential trades involving Knecht for roughly a year and a half, but a deal involving the former first-round pick has yet to materialize.
Watts acknowledged that there is still a pathway, albeit a narrow one, for Knecht to revive his Lakers career following an offseason of significant roster turnover.
“Knecht fits better on the new look Lakers,” he added. “If Knecht can find his shot and improve his defense, he could quickly get back into the rotation. That is unlikely, but crazier things have happened in the NBA”
Knecht Running out of Opportunities in Los Angeles
Knecht’s second season represented a considerable step backwards after the flashes of scoring potential he displayed as a rookie.
Across 54 regular-season appearances, the guard averaged just 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game, shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc.
Even those numbers do not fully illustrate how far he slipped down the pecking order.
Knecht received the bulk of his opportunities earlier in the campaign before his role virtually disappeared over the closing months. He logged only 36 minutes in February, 15 in March, and 38 in April, appearing in 16 games across that stretch.
Perhaps most tellingly, additional minutes did not materialize even when injuries depleted the Lakers’ backcourt, including stretches without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The postseason offered little indication that his standing had changed. Knecht appeared five times but played only 18 total minutes after dropping almost completely out of the rotation.
His limited NBA role contrasted sharply with what he produced when given an opportunity to play significant minutes in the G League.
During four appearances with South Bay, Knecht averaged 21.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 combined steals and blocks. He also shot an efficient 50.9% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range.
Those performances offered another glimpse of the offensive ability that initially made Knecht an intriguing first-round prospect, even if translating that production into a consistent NBA role has proved difficult.
At 25 and entering only his third professional season, there is still time for Knecht to reshape the direction of his career. Whether he receives that opportunity in Los Angeles is becoming an increasingly pressing question.
The October 31 deadline should provide the clearest indication yet of how much faith the Lakers still have in their former first-round pick.
Lakers Face Looming Deadline That Could Seal First-Round Pick’s Fate