The Los Angeles Lakers had two players miss practice Monday because of illness. Twenty-four hours later, one was back on the court while the other was no longer with the team.
Bronny James returned to practice Tuesday after missing the previous day’s session, providing a positive development for coach JJ Redick ahead of Wednesday’s season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
Lakers beat reporters Khobi Price and Dan Woike confirmed James’ return Tuesday.
The update came less than a day after Los Angeles waived Dalton Knecht, the former first-round pick who also had been excused from Monday’s practice because of illness.
The two developments unfolded as the Lakers finalized their opening-night roster, choosing to retain James and Jaden Hardy while moving on from Knecht.
Bronny James Returns After Missing Lakers Practice
Redick revealed that James and Knecht were among the players excused from practice because they were feeling unwell.
“We had a couple of guys under the weather today — Bronny and DK were both excused absences,” Redick told reporters Monday.
Woike subsequently clarified that James was genuinely sick and had remained home.
By Tuesday, the 22-year-old guard was healthy enough to rejoin his teammates, putting him back on the practice floor before the Lakers’ opening-night matchup against Stephen Curry and Golden State.
The return comes after a difficult preseason for James.
He averaged 2.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds across five exhibition games, shooting just 25% from the field.
James also went scoreless in his final two preseason appearances, including an 11-minute outing against Golden State in which he committed four turnovers.
Redick acknowledged during the preseason that James had struggled to translate his work behind the scenes into game production.
“I don’t think he’s played well,” Redick said after the Lakers’ second preseason loss to the Warriors.
Still, the coach has spoken positively about James’ development in practice, where his defensive effort and improved understanding of the team’s system have earned praise.
Tuesday’s return gives James another opportunity to build on that progress.
Lakers Move Forward Without Dalton Knecht
Knecht, meanwhile, faces a considerably different situation.
The Lakers waived the 25-year-old Monday as they trimmed their roster to the NBA’s 15-player limit.
Selected 17th overall in the 2024 NBA draft, Knecht appeared to be a promising addition during his rookie season, averaging 9.1 points in 78 games.
His role diminished last season, however, when he averaged just 4.2 points across 54 appearances.
Knecht’s struggles continued during the preseason. He averaged 2.8 points while shooting 25% from the field in four games, failing to score in three of them.
Redick recently acknowledged that the Lakers’ roster changes had complicated Knecht’s fit.
“The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed,” Redick said before the preseason finale against Denver.
The Lakers ultimately elected to keep James and Hardy, ending Knecht’s tenure after two seasons.
There is no indication that either player’s illness influenced the roster decision. Knecht had been trending to be the odd man out after the Lakers reportedly shopped him, but no deal materialized.
For James, the immediate challenge is earning meaningful playing time in a crowded backcourt featuring Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and offseason addition Collin Sexton.
His return to practice does not guarantee a spot in Redick’s rotation Wednesday.
But after an illness interrupted his final preparations, James is back with his teammates and has another opportunity to prove he belongs in the Lakers’ plans.
Knecht, once considered one of their most promising young players, must now find that opportunity elsewhere.
Lakers’ Bronny James Gets Major Update After Dalton Knecht Roster Shakeup