Dalton Knecht Bounces Back in Battle of LA Squads

The Los Angeles Lakers were the central theme of February’s 2025 NBA trade deadline as they made one of the most significant and unexpected trades of all-time. They traded away NBA Top 75 team member Anthony Davis, a champion with them in 2020, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic, the then-25-year-old guard who has already earned five First Team All-NBA selections.

While the Luka trades dominated headlines, and still is the biggest talking point in the sport, it’s not the only major move the Lakers tried to make. They also made a move to acquire 23-year-old center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, building their package around rookie Dalton Knecht. However, this deal failed to go through, sending Williams and Knecht back to their original teams in an uncommon and potentially awkward manner.

However, both players have re-joined their teams as they now attempt to put this botched transaction in the past. For Knecht, this process hasn’t been without some struggle. In his first seven games post-trade, he averaged just 4.3 points per game in 13.0 minutes per game, shooting just 33.3% from the field, 31.8% from three, and 50.0% from the free throw line. This performance was a drop-off in play from the 6-foot-5 wing’s otherwise strong season, in which he has recorded five 20-point games behind his elite three-point shooting, including a 37-point outburst that plunged him into Rookie Of The Year talks.

In his most recent game, though, Knecht made the most of his time on the court. In a big “Battle For LA” match against the Los Angeles Clippers, the 23-year-old former Tennessee star regained his footing, catching fire from three for the first time with the new-look Lakers. He scored 19 points on just ten shot attempts, including five-for-eight shooting from three. He converted four of these in the first half, including one off a feed from each of Luka and LeBron James, as well as two impressive makes off the dribble.

As the Lakers chase a championship with their new superstar duo, Knecht can play a vital role in their success. Both Luka and LeBron are two of the greatest playmakers of all time, who specifically specialize in creating three-point opportunities for teammates off their drives. Given Knecht’s ability to scorch opponents with his three-point shooting, the sharpshooting rookie will have the chance to swing playoff games if he can find his stroke.

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