The Los Angeles Lakers have an Oct. 31 deadline to exercise the fourth-year team option on Dalton Knechtâs rookie contract, and that deadline looms large for his future. The franchise has explored trading Knecht this summer as they retooled around Luka Doncic. They havenât found a deal and now have to decide if he has any future with the Lakers. Declining his option will make him an unrestricted free agent in the 2027 offseason and opens up an opportunity to move on at the deadline.
The Lakers just had to do this with Jalen Hood-Schifino. They declined his third-year team option and used his expiring salary in the Luka trade. The Jazz quickly waived JHS, and he was completely out of the NBA after just 13 games with the 76ers to close the 2024-25 season.
Knecht took a step backward in his second NBA season. He never recovered after the Lakers agreed to trade him to Charlotte at the 2025 deadline. The deal was rescinded when Mark Williams failed his physical. Knechtâs confidence plummeted, and heâs lost his jumper. The Lakers would love to move on, but they have to decide if they want to make him an expiring contract or try to rebuild his trade value.
Dalton Knechtâs future with the Lakers hinges on team option decision
If the Lakers decline his option, there is no reason to keep him beyond the trade deadline. They will either trade him or just buy him out. Knecht would be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and Los Angeles would be limited in what they could pay to bring him back.
Knecht fits better on the new look Lakers. They need shooters around Luka, but the 24-year-old made just 34.2 percent from long range last season. If Knecht can find his shot and improve his defense, he could quickly get back into the rotation. That is unlikely, but crazier things have happened in the NBA.
Rob Pelinkaâs draft track record is a problem. The Lakers need to get him more help as the obvious answer is declining Knechtâs team option and making it two straight draft busts on Pelinkaâs record. LA would be free to trade his expiring salary, and opposing teams could just waive him if they have no use for Knecht.
The 25-year-old is playing for his NBA life. Lakers fans saw Hood-Schifino completely fall out of the NBA just months after having his option declined. The Lakers' front office has explored trading Knecht. No team is eager to take on his contract. Maybe he can find a minimum contract in free agency if he shows his jumper has returned to form. That has to happen for him to stick, and Lakers fans havenât seen any signs of that being real.
The purple and gold are building around Luka Doncic. They want to win immediately and retooled their roster to get younger and more athletic. They added Quentin Grimes, Cameron Carr, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Collin Sexton, and Jaden Hardy this summer. All of those players are looking to earn minutes on the wing and are ahead of Knecht in the pecking order. It feels like it is just time to admit the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft is a bust and move on.
The Los Angeles Lakers have until Oct. 31 to decide on picking up Dalton Knechtâs four-year team option. He would make $6.4 million in the 2027-28 campaign, but no team is eager to take on that number. If the Lakers canât find a trade, they should decline his option. That all but guarantees Knecht is off their roster after the deadline. The decision is coming quickly, and it is time to move on.
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