Dalton Knecht’s name moved to the front of the Lakers’ deadline conversation on Wednesday, January 28.
Lakers’ ClutchPoints insider Anthony Irwin reported that Knecht approached the Lakers’ front office and requested a trade.
“I’m told Dalton Knecht approached the Lakers front office recently and has asked to be traded. It’s expected they’ll grant his wish,” Irwin wrote earlier today on X.
The report arrives as Knecht’s role has been limited for much of the season. In 36 games, he is averaging 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 12.5 minutes per game, with 43.7% shooting from the field and 31.9% from three.
Marc Stein also included Knecht in his latest “names to watch” group, as Knecht has not played outside of garbage time over the past two weeks, while being a first-round pick in 2024 who has been mostly a low-minute option this year.
“Another player to watch in terms of possible fresh starts is the Lakers’ Dalton Knecht, who was traded to Charlotte a year ago before being forced to return to LA when the purple and gold rescinded its deal to acquire Mark Williams from the Hornets,” Stein noted*.*
Knecht’s trade history has already been part of the Lakers’ recent deadline storylines. At the 2025 deadline, the Lakers agreed to send Knecht to the Hornets in a package for Mark Williams, but the deal was later rescinded, as Dave McMenamin noted for ESPN.
Just a few weeks ago, on January 3rd, the public messaging sounded different. JJ Redick had said Knecht would get “consistent” playing time over the next stretch, and that the evaluation wouldn’t be limited to whether his shots were falling. Since then, the minute pattern has still leaned the other direction, and now you get the “asked to be traded” report on top of it.
On the same day Knecht’s trade request report circulated, the Lakers’ reported target board also made the rounds.
A report tied to Brad Turner of the LA Times listed six players who have been “attached to the Lakers as potential trade targets”: Naji Marshall, De’Andre Hunter, Donte DiVincenzo, Keon Ellis, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones.
The first four names were emphasized in multiple summaries of the LA Times reporting, with Marshall (Mavericks), Hunter (Cavaliers), DiVincenzo (Timberwolves), and Ellis (Kings) specifically cited as players being discussed in league circles as possible fits.
From a production standpoint this season, Marshall is averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. Hunter is at 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. DiVincenzo is at 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 38.0% from three. Ellis is averaging 5.4 points with 1.1 steals per game.
Murphy and Jones are the higher-end wings on that list based on two-way value, and their season stat lines reflect that. Murphy is averaging 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 37.8% from three. Jones is averaging 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, with 1.6 steals per game.
Put both reports together, and the picture is pretty clean: Knecht shows up in (1) Stein as a name to watch, then (2) Irwin as a player actively requesting a trade, while the Lakers’ reported “wish list” is already circulating with specific targets attached. Now it’s just about whether February 5 forces a fast decision, or whether this is the kind of thing that drags into the summer.
