Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers, Lakers trade rumors, Lakers trade targets, Dalton Knecht trade rumors, Knecht demands trade, Lakers Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, Lakers trade idea
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The Los Angeles Lakers are predicted to cut ties with Dalton Knecht in the form of a trade after he asked to be moved by the deadline.
TheLosAngeles Lakers alreadytried to trade former first-round pick Dalton Knecht last year, and while that resulted in a tumultuous relationshipgoing forward between the two sides, the player finallylooks likehe’ll be on the move.
After the report from NBA insider Marc Stein that the Lakershave discussed the idea of moving Knecht, Anthony Irwin responded with the news that the second-year guard approached the front office and asked for a tradedirectly.
“I‘m told Dalton Knecht approached the Lakers front office recently and has asked to be traded,”Irwin wrote in a post on X. “It’s expectedthey’ll grant his wish.”
Anthony F. Irwin
In other news, I’m told Dalton Knecht approached the Lakers front office recently and has asked to be traded. It’s expected they’ll grant his wish. More here, for @joinoffside:
Broderick Turner andThuc Nhi Nguyen of the LA Times also confirmed the news that Knecht could be moved sometime before the deadline. Whileit’s unclear wherehe’ll go next, the Lakers have their eyes on a few trade targets, a few of which they could use the shooter as a piece to get back some of them in return.
Lakers Expect To Trade Dalton Knecht
As mentioned, there have now been multiple reportson the Lakers and Knechtboth feeling as though anew change of scenery would bebest. They previously tried to trade him last year for Mark Williams, then on the Charlotte Hornets, but a failed physical stopped that deal in its tracks.
Since then,Knecht’s numbers have dropped, and whilehe’s stillgotten in aton of games for Los Angeles this season,he’s spent more time in theG-League andhasn’t maintained a consistent roster spot in head coach JJRedick’s rotation.
“He was a first-round pick in 2024, but is only seeing 12.5 minutes per night in 36 games this season andhasn’t played at all outside of garbage time over the past two weeks,”Arthur Hill of Hoopsrumors.com wrote on Knecht.
While only averaging 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists on 43.7/31.9/68.8 shooting splits, Turner and Nguyen added thattheteam’s 2032 second-round pick could be added in a trade with Knecht to bring back someone who could help the current iteration of the team.
For now, both Knecht finding a newhome and the Lakers moving on from what has been a failedexperiment looks like the bestidea for both sides.
Lakers Trade Rumors, Giannis Hopes
While Los Angeles has been linked to a ton of other names over this current trade cycle, one now stands out above therest:Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Shams Charania recently reported the superstar is ready to part ways with his current team before the trade deadline, and while the Lakers were expected to more seriously consider a deal for him over the summer,like so many other teams in the league, those plans have now changed.
Shams Charania
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN.
According to the insider, the Bucks are looking for either a blue-chip young talent or a surplus of draft picks. The Lakersdon’t have the picks, so a deal for Antetokounmpo would likely have to be highlighted by Austin Reaves and as many other assets asthey can possibly move.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Any Bailey outlined a deal thatdoesn’t include Reaves, but it would be impossible to make before the deadline, as it included their draft picks thatcan’t be moved until this summer.
Any deal before February 5th would have to include Reaves, and if the Lakers are serious about pairing Antetokounmpo with Luka Doncic,they’ll face that tough decision. If not, waiting until the summer might be risky, asteams around the league are lining up to offer as much as they can for the two-timeregular-season MVP.