The Los Angeles Lakers have waived former first-round pick Dalton Knecht as they finalize their roster for the 2026-27 NBA season.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Los Angeles entered the day with 16 players on guaranteed contracts and needed to reduce that number to 15. The team has officially confirmed Knecht’s release.
Selected 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht showed promise as a rookie but struggled to maintain consistent production and playing time.
During the 2025-26 season, the 25-year-old averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes across 51 games, shooting 34.2% from three-point range.
Knecht was previously included in a February 2025 trade that would have sent him to Charlotte for Mark Williams, but the Lakers canceled the deal following concerns about Williams’ physical examination.
Los Angeles reportedly explored trading Knecht in recent weeks but struggled to find a suitable deal because of his $4.2 million salary and limited trade value.
Instead, the Lakers decided to waive him while remaining responsible for his guaranteed salary. His $6.45 million team option for 2027-28 will also be voided.
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Knecht is expected to become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday if he clears waivers and will be eligible to sign a two-way contract with another team.
