The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for revenge after a disappointing end to last postseason in April. This season, the Lakers will feature the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. While the plan is to build around Dončić for the future, he is focused on winning right now.
“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn't mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he's not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.
With the season approaching, one trade candidate’s name is already being discussed.
“Dalton Knecht was almost banished to Charlotte midway through the 2024-25 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The second-year scorer may be able to avoid a fate so heinous this season, but it is tough to imagine him avoiding a trade altogether once Rob Pelinka gets going in 2025-26. Knecht had a brutal summer league with the Lakers. The 24-year-old averaged 10.3 points per game with horrendous shooting numbers, knocking down a woeful 27.9 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc,” Lake Show Life’s Syvatoslav Rovenchuk wrote.
Head coach JJ Redick suggested that Knecht overworked himself during the offseason, which could explain his poor Summer League performance.
“The guy did too much after the season. And I think in summer league, he was burnt out. He was coming in here at 5 AM, getting shots up, then doing two workouts with our summer league staff and in the weight room,” Redick said.
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Knecht was once a bright spot on the Lakers’ roster but has since fallen into a slump he has yet to recover from. Transitioning from an important bench piece to barely getting any minutes must have been a tough psychological adjustment.
If Knecht does get traded, it could be a fresh start for him. He still has training camp to prove he belongs, but it may be time for both parties to move on.