Lakers Waive Former First-Round Selection Dalton Knecht

The Los Angeles Lakers waived 2024 No. 17 overall pick Dalton Knecht on Monday to trim their roster to the league-mandated 15-player limit.

The Los Angeles Lakers waived 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht on Monday, according to a team announcement reported by ESPN. The move allowed the franchise to reduce its roster from 16 players to the NBA-mandated 15-player limit by the 5 p.m. ET deadline. Leading up to the decision, league sources told ESPN that the Lakers attempted to facilitate a 2-for-1 trade involving Knecht to acquire an additional big man, but no deal materialized.

Knecht, the No. 17 overall selection out of the University of Tennessee, saw his production decline following a rookie season in which he averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds across 78 games. During a peak nine-game stretch in November of his debut year, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 18.9 points while shooting 55.4% from the field and 52.2% from 3-point range. However, his second-year averages dropped to 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds as his playing time fell from 19.2 to 10.2 minutes per game.

In four preseason appearances this month, Knecht averaged 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 25% from the floor and 14.3% from beyond the arc. A previous attempt to move Knecht occurred in February 2025, when he was included in a trade package to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams; however, the transaction was rescinded after Williams failed a physical exam. Lakers coach JJ Redick noted that the addition of several wings to the roster this year contributed to Knecht's diminished role.