A report on Monday tells that VFL Dalton Knecht was originally in the Luka Doncic blockbuster trade package between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers last weekend.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka was able to keep his rookie, though.
According to a report from The Ringer’s Kirk Goldsberry on The Bill Simmons Show, Knecht was a player that Dallas wanted to acquire before the trade shifted directions.
“One of my sources inside the Lakers was indicating that the deal was bigger,” Goldsberry said. “And I think you guys were joking about this last night, that there were two firsts and there was Dalton Knecht and the deal got whittled down. Because, I think, Rob Pelinka was able to convince the Dallas Mavericks that Luka is a lot of risk.”
Simmons and Goldsberry indicated that Knecht was originally in the trade packages as talks were going on for three and a half weeks leading to the deal on Saturday night.
Rather than adding Dalton Knecht and multiple first-round picks, the Mavericks agreed on a deal that would send Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick to Dallas in exchange for Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris – a comically low return for the Mavericks.
More from RTI: How VFL Dalton Knecht Can Benefit From the Biggest Trade in NBA History
A report from Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus on Jan. 7 stated that the Lakers appeared to be keeping Knecht off the trade market during his rookie season in Los Angeles. Perhaps that could be why Pelinka pulled back on Knecht at some point during the discussions. On the other hand, though, Davis is also listed as a player in the report that the Lakers wouldn’t part ways with, so maybe the magnitude of the acquisition clearly switched some mindsets around.
Either way, Knecht wasn’t involved in the trade with Dallas despite reportedly appearing to be originally.
Knecht’s trade situation might not be over, though. Prior to the Lakers’ trade with the Mavericks, rumors floated of Knecht potentially being traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for former Auburn big man Walker Kessler. It’s unclear yet whether the Doncic trade nixed that off the table or whether it becomes even more of a priority to get a big man on a guard-dominant roster.
All in all, the trade does benefit Knecht if he’s still on the Lakers past the trade deadline, but don’t close the book on the rumors just yet. If Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis can get swapped on a Saturday night in February, anything can happen.
The former Tennessee Vol is averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 47 contests with the Lakers this season.
REPORT: The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade originally included multiple firsts and Dalton Knecht, per @kirkgoldsberry
“A deal got whittled down, and I think Rob Pelinka was able to convince the Mavs that Luka is a lot of risk… His drinking, his weight problem…”
(via Bill… pic.twitter.com/QjmmBWvjpx
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 3, 2025
