Former Tennessee star Dalton Knecht waived by Los Angeles Lakers
By Mark Kern
Published:
Former Tennessee star Dalton Knecht was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He was looked as a guy who could be a key contributor moving forward in the future.
However, the Lakers on Monday made the decision that he was no longer a part of their future, and they decided to cut him from the roster.
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Knecht put together a solid rookie campaign, finishing the 2024-25 season by averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. At one point that season, though, the Lakers actually sent him to Charlotte in a trade to get Mark Williams. However, the trade was rescinded after Williams failed his physical, and Knecht went back to Los Angeles.
Things never got better for Knecht there, as his minutes decreased last year and he averaged only 4.2 points.
Knecht became a household name during the 2023-24 season at Tennessee after leading the Vols to the Elite Eight. He was one of the elite players in the country that season, averaging 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds, while shooting 40% from the 3-point line.
Teams in the NBA had to finalize their rosters, as the season gets underway on Tuesday.
