The Los Angeles Lakers decided to keep Bronny James on the active roster this season. While making that decision, they ended up waiving Dalton Knecht. Knecht was a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, being taken 17th overall.
After a good start to his career, Knecht fell out of the rotation. Eventually, he was put into a trade for Mark Williams. However, that trade was rescinded, so Knecht had to return to LA. Now, he has a new home, and it’s with the defending champion New York Knicks.
Former Lakers Player Dalton Knecht Signs With Knicks
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Knecht has decided to sign a two-way deal with New York. He will now join the champion Knicks. This is a move that likely won’t see him garner a significant amount of playing time, though. New York’s rotation is pretty set.
It’s unclear if Knecht would even be able to jump into the rotation over Tyler Kolek, who is a fan favorite. In his rookie season. Knecht played in 78 games, playing 19.2 minutes per game. He averaged 9.1 points per game, shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
However, his minutes were cut drastically last season. He only appeared in 54 games for the Lakers, averaging just 10.2 minutes per game. He averaged 4.2 points per game, shooting only 34.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. That drop in shooting hurt his chances of getting playing time.
Knecht clearly never recovered from being included in the Williams trade. It was tough for him to play for a franchise that clearly did not want him. Now, he has a chance to revive his career for the defending champs. He will likely spend most of this season in the G-League, though.
Playing in the G-League might actually be what’s best for him. He can rebuild his confidence while not feeling the pressure of performing at the NBA level every night. If he plays well enough, perhaps he can earn some playing time if the Knicks suffer some injuries.
Los Angeles Might Regret Letting Dalton Knecht Walk
The Lakers looked good in their season opener over the Warriors. However, they have several players who have injury concerns. Knecht has shown that he can be a decent shooter at the NBA level. Keeping him on the end of the bench might have helped their depth concerns.
Luka Doncic has yet to play an injury-free season in LA. Austin Reaves played in a career-low number of games last season. Collin Sexton is currently recovering from an injury and has yet to make his Lakers debut. James has yet to prove he can be a reliable contributor.
All of those problems could lead to some regrets from letting Knecht go. With the Lakers not having enough trade assets to make moves at the deadline, keeping someone like Knecht may have been a good idea.
Former Lakers First-Round Pick Signs with Champion Knicks