Former Laker calls on Dalton Knecht to embrace the role of villain after failed trade to Hornets

"You trade me, trade doesn't go through, I've got to come back? If I'm Dalton Knecht, I'm mad. Y'all don't want me here. What do you mean I've got to come back, because another m*therf*cker hurt.  That wasn't the original plan. 

"How does he feel? Honest answer, that's a cold game, walking back into that locker room. 'What's up, m*therf*ckers?' Looking sideways at everybody. Can't trust nobody. I was just killing it shooting threes. Y'all just traded me. To Charlotte. 24 hours later trade doesn't go through not because of me, because of another m*therf*cker. 

"Nobody's safe.  Nobody's safe." 

It's not hard to understand where Beverly is coming from. The team is going to have to find a way to show Knecht that it was a matter of what's best for business and that they needed to take a position of strength and try to improve their roster.  They can try that, at least. 

But it's also hard to understand and compartmentalize that and not let it affect how you feel towards your organization.  That's going to be a challenge that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick are going to have to handle with their returning rookie.  

But perhaps this could be a point to where we see the Knecht take on an "eff it" type of attitude and go villain mode, like Beverly says.  Take it and turn it into a deep burning motivation to go out and say 'I'll show you all'. 

We'll see how things go for the former Tennessee Vol superstar starting on Monday night, when Dalton Knecht makes his Lakers return alongside Luke Doncic, who is expected to make his LA debut.