Lakers Waive Draft Pick Dalton Knecht, Signaling a Failed Investment
The Lakers cut their 2024 first-round pick after he failed to impress in training camp and preseason, marking another high-profile draft miss.
The Los Angeles Lakers waived forward Dalton Knecht, their No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, on Monday after he failed to secure a roster spot. The team had attempted to use the 25-year-old as trade bait but found no interested parties.
This development marks another disappointing outcome for a Lakers first-round selection, following the team's decision to decline the third-year option on Jalen Hood-Schifino, their 17th overall pick in the 2023 draft, who subsequently left the league. Knecht, who showed promise with back-to-back 27-point and 37-point performances in his rookie season, was ultimately cut from coach JJ Redick's rotation.
A Precipitous Fall
The situation is a significant setback for both the player and the franchise. The Lakers have lost a valuable draft asset, while Knecht's NBA career appears to be on a downward trajectory, with a two-way contract being his most likely option at this stage.
The turning point for Knecht's situation with the Lakers seemed to be in February 2025. Following the Lakers' acquisition of Luka Dončić from the Mavericks, the team reportedly agreed to a trade that would send Knecht, Cam Reddish, a future first-round pick, and a pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Mark Williams. However, the deal fell through when Williams failed his physical, forcing Knecht back into the Lakers' plans.
Following the failed trade, Knecht's shortcomings became more apparent. He was identified as a defensive liability, and when his shooting struggled, his fit within a roster needing perimeter creators for Dončić and Austin Reaves became problematic. His statistics reflected this decline: his rookie season saw him average 9.1 points on 46.1% shooting from the field and 37.6% from three-point range, with 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. Last season, these numbers dropped to 4.2 points on 45.5% shooting (34.2% from deep), 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 10.2 minutes per game.
Preseason Struggles
Knecht's struggles continued into the preseason, with nine new players vying for spots on the roster. In four preseason games, he averaged just 2.8 points on 25% shooting from the field and 14.3% from three-point range, adding 1.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game.
"The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed," coach JJ Redick stated regarding Knecht's situation. "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."
When the Lakers were forced to trim their roster from 16 players to 15 on Monday, Knecht was among the first to be waived. He was released ahead of Bronny James, the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, and Jaden Hardy, who was acquired in a trade for Deandre Ayton.
The Lakers ultimately released Knecht, forfeiting the remaining $4.2 million on his contract. The team's inability to trade him after the botched Williams trade, or at any point last season, and failure to find a deal before Monday's deadline, has resulted in a significant loss for the franchise. This outcome represents a difficult situation for Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka and a disappointing turn for Knecht, whose career trajectory has been drastically altered.
