The Los Angeles Lakers already tried to trade former first-round pick Dalton Knecht last year, and while that resulted in a tumultuous relationship going forward between the two sides, the player finally looks like he’ll be on the move.
After the report from NBA insider Marc Stein that the Lakers have discussed the idea of moving Knecht, Anthony Irwin responded with the news that the second-year guard approached the front office and asked for a trade directly.
“I‘m told Dalton Knecht approached the Lakers front office recently and has asked to be traded,” Irwin wrote in a post on X. “It’s expected they’ll grant his wish.”
Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the LA Times also confirmed the news that Knecht could be moved sometime before the deadline. While it’s unclear where he’ll go next, the Lakers have their eyes on a few trade targets, a few of which they could use the shooter as a piece to get back some of them in return.
Lakers Expect To Trade Dalton Knecht
As mentioned, there have now been multiple reports on the Lakers and Knecht both feeling as though a new change of scenery would be best. They previously tried to trade him last year for Mark Williams, then on the Charlotte Hornets, but a failed physical stopped that deal in its tracks.
Since then, Knecht’s numbers have dropped, and while he’s still gotten in a ton of games for Los Angeles this season, he’s spent more time in the G-League and hasn’t maintained a consistent roster spot in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.
“He was a first-round pick in 2024, but is only seeing 12.5 minutes per night in 36 games this season and hasn’t played at all outside of garbage time over the past two weeks,” Arthur Hill of Hoopsrumors.com wrote on Knecht.
While only averaging 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists on 43.7/31.9/68.8 shooting splits, Turner and Nguyen added that the team’s 2032 second-round pick could be added in a trade with Knecht to bring back someone who could help the current iteration of the team.
For now, both Knecht finding a new home and the Lakers moving on from what has been a failed experiment looks like the best idea for both sides.
Lakers Trade Rumors, Giannis Hopes
While Los Angeles has been linked to a ton of other names over this current trade cycle, one now stands out above the rest: Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Shams Charania recently reported the superstar is ready to part ways with his current team before the trade deadline, and while the Lakers were expected to more seriously consider a deal for him over the summer, like so many other teams in the league, those plans have now changed.
According to the insider, the Bucks are looking for either a blue-chip young talent or a surplus of draft picks. The Lakers don’t have the picks, so a deal for Antetokounmpo would likely have to be highlighted by Austin Reaves and as many other assets as they can possibly move.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Any Bailey outlined a deal that doesn’t include Reaves, but it would be impossible to make before the deadline, as it included their draft picks that can’t be moved until this summer.
Any deal before February 5th would have to include Reaves, and if the Lakers are serious about pairing Antetokounmpo with Luka Doncic, they’ll face that tough decision. If not, waiting until the summer might be risky, as teams around the league are lining up to offer as much as they can for the two-time regular-season MVP.
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