The Los Angeles Lakers have officially moved on from Dalton Knecht, waiving the former first-round pick just two years after selecting him in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The decision was announced Monday as Los Angeles faced the league’s 5 p.m. ET deadline to reduce its roster from 16 players to the maximum of 15.
Knecht, who was selected 17th overall out of Tennessee, showed plenty of promise early in his rookie campaign but struggled to maintain that momentum as his role within the organization diminished.
During a nine-game stretch in November 2024, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 18.9 points while shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 52.2 percent from three-point range.
However, his production dropped significantly during his second season.
After averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds across 78 appearances as a rookie, Knecht managed just 4.2 points in 10.2 minutes per game during the 2025-26 campaign.
His preseason performances offered little improvement, with the 25-year-old averaging 2.8 points on 25 percent shooting across four appearances.
Lakers coach JJ Redick recently addressed Knecht’s struggles, explaining how changes to the roster had impacted his opportunities.
“I think the biggest thing is the team changed,” Redick said. “The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. So, I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”
Los Angeles had explored potential two-for-one trades involving Knecht and another player in hopes of acquiring additional frontcourt depth, but failed to reach an agreement before the deadline, according to ESPN.
It marks another unexpected development in Knecht’s short NBA career.
In February 2025, the Lakers agreed to send Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft compensation to Charlotte in exchange for center Mark Williams.
However, the deal was ultimately rescinded after Williams failed his physical examination, sending Knecht back to Los Angeles.
Now, less than two years after being considered one of the Lakers’ more promising young additions, Knecht will be looking for an opportunity to revive his career elsewhere.
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