The Los Angeles Lakers still have one major roster decision to make before opening night, with the franchise currently carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts.
That means someone will have to make way before the regular season begins, and Dalton Knecht increasingly appears to be the player on the outside looking in.
Four-time NBA champion Draymond Green addressed the situation during the latest episode of ‘The Draymond Green Show,’ claiming that the former first-round pick is not expected to survive the Lakers’ final roster cut.
“Dalton Knecht is not expected to make the Lakers’ regular season roster. Lakers have 16 guaranteed contracts and going into the season you can only have 15 guaranteed contracts. Apparently, Bronny [James] and Jaden Hardy have been outplaying him in camp and he’s viewed as the odd man out.”
Lakers Could Be Preparing to Move on From Dalton Knecht
Knecht now enters the third season of a four-year, $18 million rookie-scale contract and is set to earn $4.2 million in 2026-27.
However, his position within the Lakers’ rotation has steadily declined since an encouraging start to his rookie campaign.
Green’s comments suggest that trend has continued into training camp, with newcomer Jaden Hardy and Bronny James reportedly moving ahead of Knecht in the pecking order.
Across 54 regular-season appearances last season, Knecht averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game while shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range.
Much of his playing time came earlier in the campaign before his opportunities dramatically declined down the stretch.
Knecht logged just 36 minutes in February, 15 in March, and 38 in April, appearing in only 16 games across that span.
His limited role became particularly notable as Los Angeles dealt with significant injuries in the backcourt, including absences for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Knecht then played only 18 total minutes across five postseason appearances after falling almost entirely out of the rotation.
Knecht Has Struggled Since Failed LA-Hornets Trade
Knecht’s uncertain position comes almost two years after the Lakers attempted to include him in the February 2025 trade that would have brought Mark Williams to Los Angeles from the Charlotte Hornets.
The Lakers ultimately rescinded the deal, leaving Knecht to return to an organization that had just attempted to move him.
According to Green, the episode had a lasting impact on the young guard.
“It’s crazy because Dalton Knecht seemed to like he had a little bit of promise to him. But after that trade that got voided by the Hornets to bring him in and send Mark Williams to the Lakers, the Lakers voided the trade because of Mark Williams’ back. Dalton Knecht just been in purgatory ever since and ultimately I think it ruined him,” Green said.
Despite his NBA struggles, Knecht has continued to show flashes of the offensive talent that made him a first-round selection.
Across four appearances with the Lakers’ G League affiliate last season, he averaged 21.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 combined steals and blocks. While shooting 50.9% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range.
Those performances suggest there could still be value for another organization if Knecht ultimately becomes available.
For now, though, the immediate question is whether he can change the Lakers’ thinking before the final roster deadline. If Green’s assessment proves accurate, Knecht’s turbulent spell in Los Angeles could soon be coming to an end.
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