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Lakers roster reduction and Dalton Knecht move

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-24 13:30 UTC → 2026-10-26 16:19 UTC · added removed

The Los Angeles Lakers officially waived forward Dalton Knecht to comply with the NBA’s 15-man standard roster limit ahead of the 2026-27 regular season. This decision followed weeks of unsuccessful trade explorations involving the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Utah Jazz, as well as Jazz. Specifically, the Lakers engaged in discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks to trade Knecht and second-round draft capital for center Jericho Sims. The deal reportedly collapsed because Milwaukee requested two future second-round picks, while Los Angeles was only willing to part with one. This followed a previously rescinded trade to the Charlotte Hornets in February 2025 involving center Mark Williams, which was halted after a failed medical examination. Prior to his release, Knecht faced significant roster uncertainty alongside Jarred Vanderbilt, as the Lakers struggled to find suitable trade offers for both players. Vanderbilt. During this period, Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green criticized Knecht’s representation, stating, “I blame his agent because, as soon as that trade failed, he should have activated his contacts to get him out of Los Angeles.” Additionally, former NBA champion Metta Sandiford-Artest criticized the Lakers for failing to develop Knecht, suggesting the player possesses “All-Star potential.” Knecht, a former 17th overall pick and SEC Player of the Year out of Tennessee, saw a decline in production during his second season, averaging 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in approximately 10 minutes per game. While Lakers head coach JJ Redick defended Knecht’s professionalism, reports indicated that concerns regarding his basketball intelligence cooled market interest. Following his release, Knecht has agreed to a two-way contract with the New York Knicks. This arrangement allows him to play up to 50 regular-season games for the Knicks while spending the remainder of the season with their G League affiliate. To accommodate Knecht, the Knicks are expected to waive Kevin McCullar Jr. The Lakers' decision to waive Knecht also resulted in the team absorbing his salary as dead money and secured a roster spot for guard Bronny James.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-26 16:19 UTC Lakers roster reduction and Dalton Knecht move
  2. 2026-10-24 13:30 UTC Lakers roster reduction and Dalton Knecht move
  3. 2026-10-23 21:38 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction and Dalton Knecht move
  4. 2026-10-22 23:41 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  5. 2026-10-22 23:13 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  6. 2026-10-20 14:57 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  7. 2026-10-20 00:54 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  8. 2026-10-20 00:06 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  9. 2026-10-19 21:34 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  10. 2026-10-18 01:50 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  11. 2026-10-17 13:11 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  12. 2026-10-16 23:58 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  13. 2026-10-16 02:34 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  14. 2026-10-09 19:23 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process
  15. 2026-10-07 13:57 UTC Los Angeles Lakers roster reduction process

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