Dalton Knecht entered Lakers training camp looking for a spot in JJ Redick’s rotation. He may have to secure his spot on the roster first.
Los Angeles currently has 16 players on standard contracts and can carry only 15 into the regular season. As Khobi Price of the California Post reports, multiple rival executives believe Knecht could ultimately be the odd man out.
That’s quite a turn for the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Knecht looked like a legitimate rotation piece as a rookie, including a nine-game stretch in November when he averaged 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds. Things changed after the Lakers agreed to send him to Charlotte in the Mark Williams trade, only for that deal to be rescinded.
His playing time plummeted last season. Knecht logged just 553 minutes in 54 games after playing 1,494 minutes as a rookie.
Now he’s surrounded by even more competition following an offseason roster overhaul. Still, Redick sounds pleased with what he’s seen.
“First of all, he’s been a pro,” Redick said. “He’s been in the gym. Like he has since Day 1, he has worked his butt off all offseason. And he’s had a good three days of practice.”
Redick added that Knecht is “hungry to play and hungry to earn a spot in the rotation.” As we’ve written previously, the Lakers have explored consolidation trades, with Knecht and Jaden Hardy among the most logical candidates to be moved.
So Knecht has an opportunity. He also has a deadline. The Lakers have until opening night to figure out which 15 players they’re keeping.
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