The New York Knicks Sign Former Tennessee Basketball Star

The former Vol has found a new home in the NBA with the defending NBA champions

Oct 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks players watch their 2025-26 championship banner ascend to the rafters during a ceremony before opening night game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Knicks are coming off their first NBA championship in over 50 years and have captivated the attention of the NBA world. As one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, playing for the Knicks is considered an honor and is a dream for a lot of kids growing up. One former Vol has now signed with the storied franchise to continue his NBA career.

Dalton Knecht Finds a New NBA Home

Oct 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) and forward Dalton Knecht (4) look on from the bench during the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dalton Knecht has not had his career start as well as he would like and was cut by the Los Angeles Lakers right before the season began. This is never good for a former first-round pick, especially so close to their draft year. The fact that it happened right before the season could of also complicated things for Knecht to find a new home.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Knecht has agreed to sign a two-way contract with the Knicks. This means that he will spend time with both the NBA squad and the G League affiliate of the franchise. With this type of contract, Knecht should get ample playing time to gain real game experience.  

Knecht had a solid rookie season, with his strongest trait being his shooting, but last season he plummeted and eventually was cut from the rotation entirely. He struggled in his limited minutes, which made him fall out of favor with the Lakers' coaching staff. Consistency and reliability are the two things coaches are looking for in reserve players, and Knecht displayed neither.

What This Opportunity Means for Knecht

Former Tennessee basketball player Dalton Knecht shows his love to the crowd as fans roar in welcome when Knecht was recognized at the NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Kent State on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 in Knoxville, Tenn. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The biggest thing in Knecht was able to find another contract, which means at least one team is still intrigued with his skills. Knecht needs to capitalize on this opportunity and show he can be useful enough to warrant a standard NBA contract. Even in his G League games, it will be more important for him to show he can play a role versus scoring big numbers. The Knicks would be looking for him to be a complementary piece and not a star.

The former Volunteer has found a way to continue his NBA career, and this could be the fresh start he needs to blossom into the NBA player he is capable of.

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