Is Dalton Knecht's NBA Career Over After Lakers Release?

The 25-year-old’s two-year run with LA has had many ups and downs. While he impressed a bit during his rookie year, his sophomore campaign was full of DNPs and garbage minutes. Despite being pegged as a ready-to-contribute-now prospect out of college, Knecht failed to find his niche on a Lakers team that changed drastically over the last year and a half.

Some point out that his struggles started after a rescinded trade to the Charlotte Hornets in February 2025. Maybe that has diminished his confidence a bit, but he was given plenty of chances to redeem himself on the court.

Dalton Knecht’s Future Becomes Murky

Shooting is a premium skill that’s highly valued in the league right now. If that’s the case, why didn’t Dalton Knecht make the cut in LA? There are several reasons that need a bit of a deeper look.

During his two-year run with the Lakers, there were more games when Knecht shot poorly than when he shot lights out. Pundits may point out to his 37-point explosion during his rookie year, but that was an outlier. Moreover, he’s almost a non-existent figure on the defensive end, averaging 0.3 steals and 0.1 blocks per game in two seasons.

Despite standing 6-foot-6 and possessing insane athleticism, Knecht has never developed into a decent defender. 

Before waiving him, the Lakers tried to find a trade partner to unload the remaining years of his contract. The market was reportedly dry. That’s a clear indicator that most teams aren’t high on Knecht’s potential at the NBA level. 

At this point, it would be surprising if he gets signed by another team before the 2026-2027 season starts. He might try the G League route, or he could try to improve his game more by going overseas for a year or two.