TRENDING Hurts reportedly out for season NFL news, updates Rays take 3-2 ALCS lead NFL Winners and Losers WNBA Finals Game 2 preview Story by Ryan Young Staff writer Mon, October 19, 2026 at 9:09 PM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dalton Knecht's run with the Los Angeles Lakers is over.
The Lakers waived Knecht on Monday, just two days before they officially open the 2026-27 NBA season, the team announced. The decision came just before the league's deadline for teams to finalize their opening-day regular season rosters.
The Lakers selected Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick in 2024 out of Tennessee. He was a solid bench player for the franchise as a rookie, too, averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in about 19 minutes per game off the bench.
The Lakers actually cut a deal to trade him to the Charlotte Hornets ahead of the deadline in 2025, too. But that trade, which was done so the Lakers could acquire center Mark Williams, fell through after Williams failed his physical. So Knecht went back to Los Angeles, and has been there ever since.
Knecht's numbers fell harshly last season. He ended up averaging just 4.2 points in about 10 minutes per game off the bench. The Lakers were reportedly looking to trade Knecht away ahead of Monday's roster deadline, too, ready to move on from their former first-round selection altogether.
But as no deal came together, and the team still had one too many players on the roster, the Lakers simply opted to cut their losses and move on. Knecht had two years left on his initial four-year, $18.4 million rookie deal.
The Lakers will open the season on Wednesday night at home against the Golden State Warriors. It'll mark the third season under head coach JJ Redick, and the first without LeBron James since 2018. James opted to leave the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency this past summer, leaving Luka Dončić as the sole star for the franchise to build around.
Knecht, meanwhile, will start the season as a free agent. The 25-year-old was a thrilling player to watch in college, and he got Tennessee to the Elite Eight during his one season with the Volunteers after transferring in. But so far, his NBA career has struggled to take off. Now he'll get the chance at a fresh start, ideally with a team that wants to keep him around.
Source: Sports
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