Dalton Knecht is playing less minutes per game in his sophomore season than he did in his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers. His 3-point percentage is down, as are his attempts, and the same can be said for several other key categories. It is time to move on from the former first-round pick.
The Lakers can look back to the 2024 NBA Draft and find several players taken right after Knecht who are turning into better pros with their teams. Los Angeles can also see just how well Mark Williams is playing with the Phoenix Suns and ponder a failed trade they may have wanted finalized after all.
After a promising start donning purple and gold, Knecht has gone from young player with plenty of upside to an afterthought often buried on the depth. If, or hopefully when, the right deal comes along, the rapidly failing experiment ends for the betterment of both sides involved.
Lakers cannot pass up dream trade in favor of keeping Dalton Knecht
Knecht's defense continues to hold him back. The Lakers sharpshooter is a tick worse this season than last, posting a defensive rating around 119 per 100 possessions. That regressed from a mark closer to 118 in his rooke year.
There has been no improvement in an area the Lakers desperately needed to see more from. Furthermore, Knecht is shooting below league average on 3-point percentage this season. That is a troubling sign from his main appeal to be featured on the court.
Don't tell that to rival teams though. Knecht still needs to be the sweetener for any trade package where the Lakers swing big. Other team's front offices need to view him in a manner similar to that of people like Bill Simmons, who recently suggested him as a centerpiece of a trade idea on his show.
Simmons pitched a package involving Knecht, Maxi Kleber, and a Lakers 2031 first-round pick for Herbert Jones from the New Orleans Pelicans.
"Call it in," Simmons told Rob Mahoney.
There will not be much disagreement from anyone listening to the conversation in Los Angeles. Jones is exactly what the Lakers need, and it was surprising to have a well-known Boston Celtics fan pitch such an advantageous trade for his team's main rival.
The perception Knecht's value had here is one that will hopefully hold in actual trade negotiations after Dec. 15. The Lakers need upgrades to close the gap on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their second-year shooter is still the vehicle necessary to get them there.