Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht opened up about his whirlwind experience of being traded to the Charlotte Hornets and then returning just days later. The 23-year-old was part of a deal that sent him and Cam Reddish to Charlotte for Mark Williams and future draft picks, only for the trade to be rescinded when Williams failed his physical.
Knecht admitted the situation was difficult but remained focused on playing. “It was a crazy time,” he said. “Not too many people done that. But at the end of the day, I just wanted to hoop.”
The former Tennessee standout detailed how he learned about the trade, recalling that it felt surreal. “It felt like a movie,” Knecht said. “After that game, came back the next day, went to get some shots up in the gym, 20 free throws in… and Rob [Pelinka] called me up there and told me the news.”
The rookie described how he quickly traveled to Charlotte to meet with the Hornets before heading to Detroit, where he expected to make his debut. Before that could happen, he got another call from Pelinka.
“I fly to Detroit to what was called my debut game to then now I’m flying back to LA,” Knecht said. “Rob called me and said you’re coming back.”
Despite the uncertainty, Knecht emphasized that he never lost focus on his goal. “I just want to go hoop,” he said. “I told that to JJ [Redick] and Rob. I get it’s a business at the end of the day. I told them just ‘Let’s go play basketball.’”
Knecht returned to action for the Lakers in their 131-119 loss to the Utah Jazz, scoring 10 points in 17 minutes. He provided a scoring spark off the bench, but Los Angeles struggled to contain Lauri Markkanen, who finished with 32 points and three steals.
Jordan Clarkson added 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists for Utah, while Keyonte George recorded 20 points and 10 assists off the bench. The Jazz ended a three-game losing streak and improved to 13-40, while the Lakers fell to 32-20.
Los Angeles trailed by as many as 19 points in the second quarter but cut the deficit to 74-69 early in the third after three-pointers from LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Utah responded with a dominant 22-2 run, led by Clarkson and capped off by a tip-in dunk from Walker Kessler.
The Lakers struggled offensively during that stretch, managing just one field goal in five minutes. Rui Hachimura was their top scorer with 19 points, while James had 18 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Luka Doncic added 16 points, and Reaves contributed 15 points and 11 assists.
Bronny James had a career-high nine points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. Utah shot 52.3% from the field and made 15 three-pointers, while the Lakers finished at 44.6% shooting.
Despite the tough loss, Knecht remains focused on moving forward with the Lakers. His ability to stay locked in despite trade uncertainty could be crucial as Los Angeles pushes for a strong finish to the season.
