The Los Angeles Lakers are currently over the NBA’s 15-man roster limit and will need to move on from at least one player before October 1 to fit the league’s requirements.
While the Lakers tried, and failed, to make multiple trades that would have fixed this issue, nothing came to fruition. The front office now has a looming decision to make, assuming no more trades will happen, on who won’t be on the roster for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Though several names have been rumored to be on the chopping block, the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dalton Knecht, is the player most likely to be dealt to get the Lakers under roster limitations.
Knecht has been heavily mentioned in trade rumors for a few years now, and while he doesn’t have high value across the league, the Chicago Bulls were recently mentioned as a landing spot for the 25-year-old, sending back a trade package to Los Angeles that would include some much-needed draft assets.
Lakers Predicted To Trade Failed First-Round Pick Before To Fix Roster Limits
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Svyatoslav Rovenchuk mentioned the Bulls as a Knecht trade landing spot in a move that would help fix the Lakers’ roster issue.
“Rather than just declining his upcoming team option and waiving him, the Lakers should be searching hard for ways to recoup assets after this summer drained a great deal of them,” he wrote. “Finding second-round trade value for Knecht would be a great way of doing that. The Bulls can provide as much.”
Chicago has eight second-round picks from 2027 to 2031, and they could send one or two back to the Lakers in a trade for Knecht.
“They have room for him on the roster. They have a trade exception that can absorb Knecht’s $4.2 million contract. They have an opportunity for the scoring wing to earn playing time. Plus, most importantly for the Lakers, they have second-round picks to dispense.”
Knecht is one of a few players heavily mentioned in Lakers trade rumors, and it’s mostly due to the fact that he just hasn’t worked out as planned in Los Angeles.
The former Tennessee Volunteer put up a solid 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 46.1/37.6/76.2 shooting splits in his rookie season in 78 games, including 16 starts.
However, last season, his numbers and appearances in a Lakers uniform dropped across the board. He spent more time in the G-League, and was one name consistently tabbed as being on the trade board, unable to get consistent minutes in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.
The Lakers need to fix the roster issue, and Knecht needs a change of scenery. The Bulls might not give him a chance to compete for a title-contender, but they could be a solid landing spot for the wing still looking to prove his place in the NBA.
Why The Bulls Would Trade For Dalton Knecht
The Bulls were named as a landing spot for Knecht in a three-team sign-and-trade framework that would have seen Jonathan Kuminga join the Lakers. Chicago has also been rumored to be interested in Knecht’s services as a young shooter for a while.
The Bulls are a young, experimental team that would likely have no problem taking on Knecht in the final guaranteed year of his rookie deal. They also have a ton of movable draft assets they could use to acquire him.
Perhaps the pressure and expectations of playing for the Lakers were too much for Knecht entering the league, but Chicago doesn’t share those qualities. He would likely be asked to come off the bench as a 3-and-D option on a squad that isn’t expected to make noise in the Eastern Conference.
Knecht could outline a firmer role on this young Bulls team, compared to the struggles he faced being tossed into the middle of a Los Angeles squad competing for a title.
Chicago has players that fit Knecht’s timeline, and while he hasn’t shown immense upside in his first two years with the Lakers, there’s a chance that could be different with a change of scenery.
There’s not a lot of risk for the Bulls to make this trade, and it would drastically help the Lakers heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, as it looks as though his tenure in Los Angeles is finally coming to an end.
Lakers Tabbed For Dalton Knecht Trade To Bulls Amid Roster Crunch