The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the final days of the preseason searching for a way to trim their roster. Dalton Knecht, whose name has surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions, says nobody from the organization has told him what to expect.
With Monday’s roster deadline approaching, the former first-round pick acknowledged that he has received no indication from the Lakers about whether he will remain with the team.
“They haven’t talked to me nothing about that,” Knecht told The Athletic’s Dan Woike Friday when asked about the looming roster decisions.
The uncertainty comes at a difficult point in Knecht’s career. Two years after arriving in Los Angeles as one of the draft’s most accomplished college scorers, he finds himself fighting to stay on a team that no longer appears to have a clear role for him.
Dalton Knecht Addresses Lakers Trade Rumors
The Lakers entered the weekend with 16 guaranteed standard contracts, one more than the NBA permits during the regular season.
Knecht has emerged as a possible casualty of that roster crunch.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Los Angeles has explored trades involving the 25-year-old guard with several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz.
NBA insider Jake Fischer earlier reported exploratory discussions between the Lakers and Bucks involving Knecht and second-round draft compensation for center Jericho Sims.
However, Fischer cautioned that sources familiar with those talks were pessimistic about a deal being completed.
Knecht, meanwhile, insists his confidence hasn’t changed despite his diminished opportunities.
“I think I got better all-around,” he told The Athletic. “I think the game’s kinda slowed down a little bit, easier for me to see different reads, going out there and making adjustments on the fly.”
He also maintained that he still considers himself capable of competing with anyone when he steps on the floor.
For the Lakers, however, the question is no longer simply whether Knecht can develop into a reliable NBA contributor.
They must decide whether he fits their immediate plans.
Lakers Face Difficult Decision on Former First-Round Pick
Knecht’s preseason performance did little to strengthen his case.
He finished the exhibition schedule shooting just 3 of 12 from the field and 1 of 7 from beyond the arc, attempting only one shot in Friday’s 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
It was another frustrating chapter for the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Knecht showed promise early in his rookie season, but his development stalled after Los Angeles attempted to trade him to Charlotte in February 2025 as part of the proposed Mark Williams deal.
That transaction was rescinded, returning Knecht to the Lakers.
His playing time subsequently dwindled, and the club’s offseason roster changes created even more competition for minutes.
Los Angeles added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Matisse Thybulle, giving coach JJ Redick several experienced perimeter options.
The Lakers have already waived training camp players Rafael Castro and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, but those moves did not resolve their standard-roster surplus.
A Knecht trade would allow Los Angeles to move his guaranteed contract while potentially addressing another need. Waiving him would create a roster opening but would not automatically remove his salary from the team’s books.
The deadline arrives Monday, two days before the Lakers open their season against the Golden State Warriors.
Until then, Knecht remains in limbo.
He believes his game has improved. Whether he’ll get another chance to demonstrate it in Los Angeles is now up to the Lakers.
Lakers’ Dalton Knecht Breaks Silence on Trade Rumors Amid Roster Deadline