Lakers waive Dalton Knecht, roster now at 15 players

Once a draft steal for the Lakers, Dalton Knecht’s drastic fall has bottomed out.

On Monday, the Lakers made official a move many had speculated this preseason in waiving Knecht, bringing their roster to 15 players.

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Prior to Friday’s preseason finale for LA, head coach JJ Redick spoke about Knecht’s situation and what changed from his rookie year to this season.

“I think the biggest thing is the team changed,” Redick said. “The team changed. The needs changed. The fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. I just think, coming into this year, we got a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”

For a brief moment in his rookie career, Knecht looked not only like a diamond in the rough but also a potential Rookie of the Year. But as fast as he burst onto the scene, he faded into the background.

The lasting memory of his tenure in LA will be the failed trade for Mark Williams. After the team acquired Luka Dončić, they immediately moved to bring in a lob-catching center, sending Knecht in a trade package to the Hornets.

That trade, though, was rescinded days later after the deadline. Although he was already on a downward trajectory before then, that moment seemed to seal his fate.

He was given various opportunities throughout his remaining time with the team, but was never able to make an impression. Much of that was due to his continued defensive shortcomings with little progress made on that end of the floor throughout his time in the league.

Coming into training camp, the Lakers had 16 guaranteed contracts with only 15 players allowed on a roster, meaning there was a competition for the final spot. Knecht’s lack of presence throughout the preseason, whether that be in quotes from head coach JJ Redick or actual playing time, showed where he stood.

The limited time he did get on the court offered little reason for optimism. He didn’t make much of an argument to keep him on the roster, bringing us to this decision.

The Lakers now are at 15 players on the roster.