T he news of the Los Angeles Lakers releasing Dalton Knecht confirms the final roster entering the NBA regular season. Bronny James and Jaden Hardy survived the cut and will make the roster to keep their jobs. Knecht was not expected to get strong playing time, but he removes a player who could give the team some minutes at the shallow small forward position.
Current Lakers depth chart entering season:
PG: Luka Doncic/Collin Sexton
SG: Austin Reaves/Cameron Carr
SF: Quentin Grimes/Ziaire Williams
PF: Jake LaRavia/ Sandro Mamukelashvili
C: Walker Kessler/Kevon Looney
Also on roster: Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Jarred Vanderbilt, Matisse Thybulle, Adou Thiero
It is impossible to know the Lakers’ starting lineup for sure until JJ Redick announces the five ahead of opening night. Jake LaRavia and Quentin Grimes are not confirmed to start, but both will get a placement in the rotation based off their skill sets and preseason minutes.
Knecht could have helped at the small forward position, but the Lakers have been impressed by Ziaire Williams. The “three and D” wing player gave them enough faith in his minutes to lose Knecht as the least valuable name on the roster. Redick lost faith in Knecht last season and saw them growing even worse in this preseason.
Why Lakers Kept Bronny James & Others Over Dalton Knecht
The decision came down to whether the Lakers wanted to get rid of a guard where they had more depth. Bronny and Hardy are third string players who may not get any playing time at all to start the season.
Signing Collin Sexton was a huge move to change the rotation by adding a dynamic guard off the bench. Some pundits felt like Bronny or Hardy could get cut due to Sexton having such a strong role by playing 25+ guard minutes off the bench.
The Lakers genuinely view Bronny as a talented prospect and don’t want to give up on him before seeing more from the youngster. Hardy holds the same appeal, but they are just now getting to see him play after the trade with the Washington Wizards. Lakers’ management saw more appeal from these two names than Knecht.
JJ Redick Has Stressful Job This Season
The Lakers’ depth chart is more confusing than most other teams around the league. Only three players of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler are clear cut starters who should be expected to start and close every game.
Both forward positions are a bit difficult to process after losing both starters LeBron James and Rui Hachimura this offseason. Knecht hoped that his value as a three-point shooting wing player would save his job, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Redick will be tasked with figuring out which forwards have the best chance to thrive in the rotation. Jake LaRavia’s experience with the team and shooting ability sees him ready to start, but Jarred Vanderbilt’s contract could see him forced in. Regardless, expect Redick to experiment and hope to find his ideal forwards along the way.
Lakers Depth Chart For Final Roster After Dalton Knecht Release