New Report Suggests Lakers Fumbled Chance To Trade For Magic Center

Although the Los Angeles Lakers signed former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton to address their lack of frontcourt, he cannot hold down the interior on his own.

Past years actually show quite the opposite, as there are countless clips of Ayton acting lazy on defense. In order to bolster the big man room further, many proposed trade scenarios between the Lakers and Orlando saw L.A. land center Goga Bitadze. The pitched return for the Magic was often highlighted by rising sophomore guard Dalton Knecht, but a new report suggests this option is potentially off the table.

Lakers insider Jovan Buha shared Knecht's play in NBA Summer League greatly tanked his value on the trade market, enough for organizations to no longer view him as a former first-round pick.

“Summer League has not helped Knecht’s stock, and I don’t think at this point he is valued as a first-round pick, in terms of an asset valuation," Buha said on his podcast. "That was what I heard in Vegas from talking to multiple people, non-Lakers people, just gauging what would you give for Dalton Knecht? Or if the Lakers are putting Dalton Knecht in a trade, what is he worth? And the feedback I got was, no longer worth a first-round valuation.”