Lakers Waive Dalton Knecht Two Years After Taking Him in First Round

The Los Angeles Lakers made a surprising final roster decision Monday, waiving forward Dalton Knecht just two seasons after selecting him with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The move came ahead of the league’s opening-night roster deadline and reduced Los Angeles to the 15-player standard-contract limit. Knecht now hits the waiver market only days before the Lakers open the season against Golden State.

Knecht flashed real scoring potential as a rookie, averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 78 games and producing a memorable 37-point, nine-three-pointer performance against Utah. His role shrank dramatically last season, however, when he averaged 4.2 points in roughly 10 minutes per game. The former Tennessee star also struggled during the 2026 preseason, averaging 2.8 points while shooting 25 percent from the field and going scoreless in three of four appearances.

The decision closes an unusual Lakers chapter. Knecht was briefly traded to Charlotte in February 2025 before that deal was rescinded after Mark Williams’ physical, and he never fully regained a stable rotation role afterward. Los Angeles reportedly explored trade possibilities before choosing the clean roster cut. At 25, Knecht is young enough—and has shown enough shooting upside—to attract interest elsewhere. The bigger question is whether another team sees the rookie-year scorer or the player whose role steadily disappeared in Los Angeles.