The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a fast start this season and, when healthy, they might be nearly unstoppable. However, that’s not the case right now, as the team continues to battle injuries on and off. One intriguing player to watch has been Dalton Knecht, who was the Lakers’ top offensive performer during training camp.
“JJ Redick says Dalton Knecht has had the best offensive training camp out of any Lakers player — they track the data and he’s scored 42 points more than any other teammate in live play and at about a 60% shooting clip. But Redick says Knecht’s ceiling will be up to his defense,” Lakers insider Dave McMenamin posted.
Knecht started his rookie season on fire but eventually cooled off significantly. That decline led to trade rumors — and even a near-deal that fell through after the Lakers failed Mark Williams’ physical, which brought Knecht back to Los Angeles. Despite the uncertainty, Knecht handled it with maturity.
“It was a crazy time, not too many people have done that coming back,” Knecht said, reflecting on how he handled the situation. “At the end of the day, I just wanted to hoop, and that's what I told JJ and Rob when I got back.”
This season, it has become increasingly clear that Knecht doesn’t fit well alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Because of that, he’s likely to be traded.
“Acquiring Marcus Smart over the offseason and playing Gabe Vincent regular minutes (before he suffered an injury) was another clear indicator of the type of player Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick want to surround Reaves and Doncic with. The further away from that stellar introduction Knecht had last year, the more likely it becomes that he'll be dealt to a team that has a clearer role for him,” Lake Show Life’s Quinn Everts wrote. “After such an impressive and promising (and unsustainable) start to his career, Knecht's nearly inevitable departure will sting a bit.”
Knecht has been dominant in practice, but that hasn’t fully translated to games. While he’s been decent during his recent increase in minutes due to injuries, he just doesn’t look like the confident rookie he once was.
The Lakers are rolling right now, and Knecht’s role in that success has been minimal. Last year, he dropped nearly 40 points in the Play-In Tournament. This season, he’s barely cracking 20 minutes of playing time — even with key players sidelined.