Los Angeles Lakers sophomore guard Dalton Knecht has been viewed as one of the team’s most puzzling pieces. After surprising many with his impressive performance early in the 2024-25 season, Knecht seemingly plateaued, eventually leading to a reduced role in the rotation.
While a gifted offensive player with incredible sharpshooting upside, Knecht has had a rough start to his follow-up campaign. All the evidence currently points to a sophomore slump, but a breakdown of stats provided by analyst Iztok Franko raises concerns regarding the guard’s future.
As Franko noted, it would be unfair to say that the 24-year-old hasn’t received the opportunity to play. Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s statement on Dalton Knecht’s development over the summer and his performance in training camp paints a promising picture. In accordance with this, Dalton Knecht earned significant playing time in the preseason, even emerging as the team’s leader in minutes.
Unfortunately, the 24-year-old has been among the team’s least productive assets. After five games, Knecht has shot roughly 30% from the field and 23% from beyond the arc. When factoring in that he is also the Lakers’ preseason leader in field goals (9.2) and three-pointers (6.2) attempted per game, it doesn’t paint a positive outlook for the sophomore guard.
In his latest outing against the Dallas Mavericks, he posted eight points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and one steal in 35 minutes. While this is still a solid stat line, his efficiency remained low, as he shot 25% from the field, going 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.
When considering Knecht’s overall performance over the summer, there could be a cause for concern.
At the Summer League this year, Knecht averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 32.1% shooting overall and 23.7% from three-point range in 27.7 minutes. Meanwhile, in the preseason, he has averaged 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, shooting 30.4% from the field and 22.6% from beyond the arc in 29.5 minutes played.
Given the reports suggesting that the Lakers view Dalton Knecht as a negative asset, the prospects for the guard are beginning to look bleak.
Will The Lakers Trade Dalton Knecht?
Although JJ Redick provided a positive update on Dalton Knecht’s performance at the training camp, it could be perceived by some as an attempt to increase his trade value.
This offseason has seen Knecht mentioned in several trade packages. As a young player with sharpshooting skill and overall offensive upside, teams around the league are bound to see merit in developing him as a rotation piece.
Considering his averages of 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds on 46.1% shooting overall, and 37.6% from three-point range from last season, there is some evidence to suggest that he could be a productive player in the right system. However, following his performances at Summer League and the preseason, there has been a change in this outlook.
With earlier reports indicating that teams around the league may not be willing to shop a first-round pick for the 24-year-old anymore, the Lakers may have to settle for a discounted price if they consider trading the guard.
Knecht may still receive playing time in the rotation, primarily as an opportunity for him to showcase his value and garner trade interest. But considering how the preseason has gone thus far, it is safe to say that the guard has done very little to boost his trade value.
