When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Dalton Knecht with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the expectation was that he could step in early as a scoring option off the bench. Coming off a dominant final season at Tennessee where he won SEC Player of the Year, Knecht entered the league with a reputation as one of the most NBA-ready shooters in his class.

Early in his rookie year, he showed flashes of that ability, highlighted by a breakout 37-point performance against the Utah Jazz, where he also set a rookie franchise record with nine made three-pointers in a single game.

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However, things quickly took an awkward turn. Midway through his rookie season, Knecht was included in a deal that sent him to the Charlotte Hornets as part of a package for Mark Williams. The trade was rescinded just days later after a failed physical voided the move, sending Knecht back to Los Angeles.

Since then, his standing in the rotation has continued to slip. Knecht struggled to reestablish himself under head coach JJ Redick, and that uncertainty has carried into his second season.

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There were expectations that Year 2 would bring clarity, but his role has remained limited. Knecht is currently averaging 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game across 48 appearances, making just one start this season. The limited minutes have made it difficult for him to build any rhythm within a deep Lakers rotation.

That trend has been even more evident in recent weeks. Knecht has not appeared in a game since March 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he logged just two minutes and zero points.

And ahead of Friday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, another setback followed. On Thursday, the Lakers announced they have assigned Knecht to the South Bay Lakers, their G League affiliate.

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