When NBA superstar Luka Doncic was originally traded from the Mavericks to the Lakers in February 2025, some analysts were surprised at the return that Dallas received. Among the suggested players that could’ve been involved in that trade was former Tennessee guard and rookie player Dalton Knecht.
While it didn’t happen then, perhaps it could happen this offseason.
ESPN insiders Ben Golliver, Zach Kram and Andre Snellings wrote up some NBA trade ideas this summer that could shake things up heading into the summer. One of the proposed trades had the Mavericks and Lakers linking up once again.
The ESPN trio proposes that Dallas should trade forward Daniel Gafford to the Lakers in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and a 2026 first-round pick. With the draft capital that this proposition includes, it would have to happen sooner rather than later.
The unfortunate reality is that Knecht’s poor usage since his nixed trade to the Charlotte Hornets during his rookie season has seemingly dropped his trade stock. For example, in ESPN’s multi-paragraph write-up on this trade idea, Knecht isn’t even mentioned once. He’s more so just thrown into the package for Vanderbilt and a first-round pick as extra compensation to make things work.
Whether it’s Dallas or somewhere else, Knecht is in need of new threads. The Lakers have shown that he doesn’t have a true role in their rotation moving forward, and it seems like Los Angeles has given up on its first-round pick from the 2024 NBA Draft. Knecht isn’t getting any younger, and he could really benefit from a change of scenery moving forward.
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Knecht took 557 shots in his first year, but that number plummeted to just 191 shots during his second year with the team. His name was tossed around in potential trade scenarios at the deadline this past season, but nothing ultimately manifested as rumors swirled of potential diminished value due to his lack of usage.
In his second season as a whole, Knecht averaged just 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 58 games on the court. He averaged 10.2 minutes on the court per appearance with one nod in the starting lineup.
The biggest question for the Lakers is whether LeBron James will return for his record 24th season in the association. Aside from that, though, the team appears to be focused on building the best team it can around future MVP Luka Doncic. It seems like Knecht may not be in those plans with JJ Redick at the helm, and there’s a chance that his time in L.A. comes to an end this offseason.
New threads would be a welcome sight for the beloved former Tennessee Volunteer before the start of the 2026-2027 season.
