Dalton Knecht is only a rookie and has experienced something that few other NBA players of all time have — a failed trade. He was part of the rescinded Mark Williams deal involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Hornets. The center failed LA's physical exam, which sent Knecht back to the Lakers.
The Lakers were willing to pay a high price for Williams (Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick) because of Luka Doncic. The new star in town specifically asked for a lob threat, and the front office listened to his demands, except things didn't work out as planned.
The truth is that LA could've quickly regretted acquiring Williams, even though he's only 23 and could've grown alongside 25-year-old Doncic. He hasn't played more than 43 games since he was drafted in 2022. Williams played in only 19 last season and 23 of Charlotte's 52 games in 2024-25.
Williams' injury history might not have been the only reason the Lakers could've ended up kicking themselves over the deal. Giving up Knecht wasn't an easy decision. He fell to No. 17 in the 2024 NBA Draft mainly because of his age (23), and LA was rightfully ecstatic to walk away with him.
Knecht is averaging a solid 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds with LA, shooting 46.4% from the field and 36% from three. It speaks volumes that fans were sad to see him go, even though he played only 48 games before the trade was reported. His production isn't the only reason fans should be happy he's back in purple and gold, though.
Knecht discusses rescinded Lakers-Hornets trade after returning to LA
Knecht returned to LA late Sunday night, so the team decided not to have him play in Monday's game against Utah. Instead, he played in his first game since the failed trade on Wednesday. He finished with 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting.
He talked about the trade after the game and how hard it was to learn he'd be leaving Los Angeles. After it was reported that the trade had been rescinded and he returned to California, Knecht was ready to move forward (subscription required):
“I get it’s a business, so at the end of the day, I told them let’s just go play basketball."
He isn't concerned about what will happen next, as the Hornets are reportedly trying to dispute the failed trade. Knecht's focus is on competing. He doesn't care about anything else other than playing basketball.
Knecht's mentality will help him have a long NBA career. It's a bonus that he gets to learn under the wings of players like LeBron James and Doncic and have JJ Redick as his coach. He's positioned for success. It would've stung to see the rookie suit up for Charlotte rather than help build something special in LA with Doncic.
The result of Knecht's first game back didn't go in the Lakers' favor, but it sure was nice to see him repping LA again.