Dalton Knecht. Photo via Los Angeles Lakers on X (Twitter)
A year ago, in the midst of former Tennessee basketball star Dalton Knecht’s rookie season, the Los Angeles Lakers completed a trade to send him to the Charlotte Hornets. However, a failed physical on the other end of the deal vetoed it and returned Knecht to LA.
Since then, it’s been rocky for the young guard. As the 2026 NBA trade deadline approached, rumors began to surface that not only were the Lakers open to including him in a deal, but that Knecht himself wanted a fresh start elsewhere.
However, the period for teams to complete trades expired at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 5. While some trades could trickle into the public’s view that were completed in time, but not reported yet, Knecht was seemingly not in the wave of moves across the league. This means that unless he is waived by the team, which there are no indications that will happen, he’ll remain on the Lakers for the rest of the season.
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Knecht, the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is currently averaging 4.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game for Los Angeles. This has come in 40 games and one start for an average of 11.7 minutes per outing. He is shooting 44.1% from the field and 31.3% from distance.
While Knecht wasn’t moved at the deadline, the Lakers did make a move that directly impacts him. LA brings in Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks, who will provide three-point shooting at the same spot Knecht would’ve filled.
At Tennessee, Knecht played just one season but made the absolute most of it. In a year where he won SEC Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American, he averaged 21.7 points per game on 45.8% shooting from the floor and 39.7% on threes. He also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.