The Los Angeles Lakers have been shopping Dalton Knecht in trade talks this offseason, but no team is eager to acquire the former first-round draft pick after his second NBA season. That painful reality proves that Rob Pelinka needs more help in the draft. Knecht is officially a bust after just two years. No team will take on his $4.2 million salary unless the Lakers attach draft capital, and this isn’t Pelinka’s first miss.
Since Pelinka took over as lead executive in April 2019, the Lakers have drafted just Knecht, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and Cameron Carr in the first round. JHS was dumped midway through his second season. The Lakers tried to trade Knecht during his rookie year and are ready to move on again after year two. Draft picks are more important than ever in the second apron era, which makes this problem worse.
Even Pelinka’s second-round picks are problems. He took Talen Horton-Tucker, Maxwell Lewis, Max Christie, Bronny James, and Adou Thiero. Two of those players are still on their roster, but Christie was the only one who blossomed into a consistent contributor. The Lakers can’t let this continue.
Rob Pelinka’s draft track record takes another hit as no team wants Dalton Knecht
Knecht showed a few flashes as a rookie, but things fell apart when the Lakers traded him for Mark Williams at the 2025 deadline. The trade was rescinded by a failed physical, and Knecht lost confidence. He was always an offense-first option, but the shots are no longer falling.
The Lakers want to dump his contract to have more room to sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga. They aren’t asking for draft capital in return. This is a player that was taken 17th overall in 2024. After two years in the NBA, Los Angeles should be able to get at least a first-rounder in return for Knecht if they nailed this pick. Sadly, the Lakers can’t give Knecht away.
Cameron Carr showed flashes in summer league and could help change Pelinka’s track record, but making just three first-round picks in seven years is a problem. The Lakers were trying to win and build around LeBron James. That is all noted, but every dollar counts in the second apron era. The Lakers need those rookie contracts to balance out their spending. LA has none because even the picks Pelinka makes end up busting after two years.
The purple and gold need to hire someone else to run their scouting and draft. Pelinka has taken one role player and three who still have a shot to blossom into contributors in seven years. Oklahoma City has drafted Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins since Pelinka took over. That is an entire core behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that the Lakers would take in a heartbeat next to Luka.
The draft is an inexact science. Presti has nailed several second-round picks to build out his roster. Even that would be a massive boost for the Los Angeles Lakers' depth and cap sheet.
They have to draft better, and the only way that is happening is by changing the man in charge of the picks. Rob Pelinka can still run the front office, but Mark Walter and the Lakers must find a new voice to lead in the draft. Knecht being the second bust of two picks in his first six years seals it.
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