The Lakers waived him, and he already has a new team: Dalton Knecht signs with the Knicks

Dalton Knecht will continue his career in the NBA with the New York Knicks, after reaching an agreement to sign a dual contract (two-way contract) with the New York franchise. The shooting guard was waived after the Los Angeles Lakers let him go before the start of the regular season, so he will have a new opportunity to prove his skill in the best basketball league in the world.

The arrival of Knecht represents a new step in the career of a player who entered the NBA with expectations after being selected as the 17th pick in the 2024 draft. His performance during the first months with the Lakers left a good impression, although over time he lost prominence and eventually fell out of J.J. Redick's rotation.

Now, the Knicks are betting on bringing him in through a contractual formula that will allow him to remain linked to the franchise while he seeks to carve out a spot in the team's sports structure.

From a strong start with the Lakers to being out of the rotation

Knecht arrived in the NBA in 2024, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 17th pick of the draft after his college career at Tennessee. His start as a professional was positive, but he couldn't maintain a stable presence in J.J. Redick's plans and ended up losing his place in the rotation.

His time in Los Angeles was also marked by a trade that ultimately did not go through. Knecht was included in a trade between the Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams during the 2025 trade deadline. However, the deal was canceled, and the player remained with the California franchise before finally being left out of the team.

The departure from the Lakers forced him to seek a new opportunity to continue his professional development. Despite this situation, his name attracted interest from several NBA franchises before his move to New York was finalized.

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The Knicks free up a spot to add Knecht

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves also showed interest in the player, although it will ultimately be the Knicks who give him the opportunity to continue competing in the league.

To finalize the addition, New York waived Kevin McCullar Jr., thus freeing up a dual contract spot that will now be occupied by Knecht.

This type of agreement provides the Knicks with an option to incorporate the player without occupying a conventional roster spot. For Knecht, it represents the possibility of relaunching his career after losing prominence in Los Angeles and finding a new context in which to try to earn minutes.

His challenge will be to seize this opportunity to regain the continuity he had at times during his rookie season and to convince the New York franchise that he can contribute to the team. After a departure from the Lakers that came before the start of the regular season, the shooting guard finds himself with a destination in the NBA once again.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Lakers lo dejaron libre y ya tiene nuevo equipo: Dalton Knecht ficha por los Knicks