ESPN projects NBA mega-trade involving the #1 pick and Cooper Flagg that would send Dalton Knecht to another storied franchise

The 2024-25 season went from one of promise to one to quickly forget for former Tennessee Vols All-American Dalton Knecht.  The first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers went from role player to no player for head coach JJ Redick after a failed trade to Charlotte put the former Vol in an awkward situation with his franchise. 

Accordingly, it would be on surprise at all to see the Lakers again use Knecht as a trade chip to try to land a center they desperately needed last year.  In fact, that's exactly what one group of NBA experts mused about on Monday. 

ESPN's panel of NBA insiders put together a trio of proposed trades for the Mavericks' top overall pick, which will almost certainly be Duke's Cooper Flagg, and Knecht found himself involved in one of the three.  Kevin Pelton put forth a four-team trade that has Knecht ending up with the Chicago Bulls. The suggested trade is as follows: 

- Dallas Mavericks get: Guard Donovan Mitchell, 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2028 first-round swap (via Lakers), 2030 first-round swap (via Lakers)

- Cleveland Cavaliers get: 2025 No. 1 pick, guards Jevon Carter and Gabe Vincent, forwards Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington, center Daniel Gafford

- Los Angeles Lakers get: Center Jarrett Allen

- Chicago Bulls get: Forwards Dalton Knecht and Caleb Martin, 2026 second-round pick (via Cavaliers), 2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick (via Cavaliers)

This is what Pelton had to say about Knecht within the projected trade: 

"The Lakers get their long-desired rim-running center in Allen, undoubtedly the best big man available to them in terms of current value. Getting Allen costs them not only the pick, swap and Knecht (what they tried to send the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams), but also a second swap. If the Lakers can build around Allen and Doncic like they hope, that swap shouldn't convey anyway.

"Lastly, the Bulls are needed as a fourth team to ensure none of the other three teams adds salary in this deal, which would hard cap them at the lower luxury tax apron. Chicago takes on the remainder of Martin's contract in exchange for adding Knecht and all of the Cavaliers' tradeable second-round picks."

The Chicago Bulls are a marquee franchise in the league that's fallen on hard times since their 1990s glory days with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and company.  

But there are worse places to end up for Knecht - i.e., the Charlotte Hornets, where Knecht was all but set to go last year. Like the Hornets (Grant Williams), the Bulls have a former Vol on the roster in Julian Phillips, who was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2023 draft.  

The Bulls are a questionable fit for Knecht, as they're a team with a number of scoring options and have no problem putting the ball in the hoop - 117.8 ppg was sixth most in the NBA - but they struggle defensively - 119.4 ppg was third worst.  However, at this point, just about anywhere is better for the ex-Vol than the awkward mess he finds himself in with his current franchise. 

Don't be surprised to see Knecht in a different jersey once the 2025-26 season tips off in October.