Dalton Knecht’s time with the Los Angeles Lakers has concluded.
The Lakers announced on Monday that they have waived Knecht, just two days prior to the official beginning of the 2026-27 NBA season for the team. This decision was made just ahead of the league’s deadline for finalizing regular-season rosters.
Consequently, both Bronny James and Jaden Hardy secured spots on the Lakers’ opening-day roster. James, Hardy, and Knecht were generally viewed as the most likely players for the Lakers to release in order to reach the maximum of 15 players after the team began training camp with one player exceeding the limit.
The Lakers chose Knecht with the No. 17 overall selection in the 2024 draft from Tennessee. He contributed as a reliable bench player for the team during his rookie year, averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing around 19 minutes per game off the bench.
In fact, the Lakers had arranged a trade to send him to the Charlotte Hornets prior to the 2025 deadline. However, that deal, which was intended for the Lakers to acquire center Mark Williams, fell through after Williams did not pass his physical examination. As a result, Knecht returned to Los Angeles and had remained with the team since then.
Knecht’s performance dropped significantly last season. He averaged just 4.2 points in approximately 10 minutes per game off the bench. Reports indicated the Lakers were exploring trade options for Knecht leading up to Monday’s roster deadline, looking to part ways with their former first-round pick entirely. According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the franchise had conducted several trade discussions during training camp, but there was “no significant trade market” for Knecht.
As they still faced an excess of players, the Lakers decided on Monday to cut their losses and move forward. Knecht had two years remaining on his original four-year, $18.4 million rookie contract.
“The team has evolved. The requirements shifted, and the fit changed,” said head coach JJ Redick regarding Knecht on Friday, as reported by The Athletic. “I believe he improved as a player during the last two years. I think each individual, especially last year, had ample chances owing to the injuries we experienced. Coming into this season, we added a lot of wings, and he finds himself in a challenging situation right now.”
The Lakers will kick off the season on Wednesday night at home against the Golden State Warriors. This will be the third season under Redick and the first without LeBron James since 2018. James decided to leave the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers during free agency this past summer, which leaves Luka Dončić as the primary star for the franchise to build around.
Meanwhile, Knecht will begin the season as a free agent. At 25 years old, he was an exciting player to follow in college, leading Tennessee to the Elite Eight during his single season with the Volunteers following his transfer. However, his NBA journey has yet to gain meaningful momentum. Now, he will have the opportunity for a fresh start, ideally with a team that aims to retain him.
