The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks have held exploratory talks on a trade that would send Dalton Knecht and second-round draft capital to Milwaukee for center Jericho Sims, Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line on Thursday, Oct. 15. Fischer heard pessimism from sources briefed on the talks that a deal will get done.
Los Angeles has 16 players on standard contracts, and Fischer noted the Lakers may be forced to waive Knecht if they cannot trade him. He is guaranteed $4.2 million this season, which the Lakers would absorb in a release.
Knecht, 25, is in the third year of a four-year, $18.5 million rookie-scale contract, with a team option on the final year. He averaged 9.1 points in 19.2 minutes as a rookie, then 4.2 points in 10.2 minutes over 54 games last season.
Sims, 27, is in the second year of a two-year, $5.3 million contract. He averaged 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.7 minutes over 67 games last season, shooting 78.4%.
In Milwaukee he sits behind Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware, who arrived from Miami in the July 6 trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat. The Bucks also drafted Brayden Burries 10th and Nate Ament 13th in 2026.
The Lakers’ starting center is Walker Kessler, who signed a four-year, $129.5 million deal in a July 8 sign-and-trade. The Athletic’s Dan Woike previously reported Sims was among centers the Lakers could pursue for depth behind him.
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Los Angeles added 2031 and 2032 second-round picks from Washington in the July 7 trade that sent Deandre Ayton to the Wizards.
Fischer reported Milwaukee has also weighed deals involving Caris LeVert and Kevin Porter Jr. to avoid waiving players.
Teams must cut to 15 standard contracts by 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 19.
