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Knecht gets a new home after falling out of favor in Los Angeles
The New York Knicks signed Dalton Knecht to a two-way contract after the Los Angeles Lakers waived the forward ahead of the 2026-27 season. Knecht’s agents confirmed the move to ESPN’s Shams Charania, marking a fresh start for the 25-year-old sharpshooter after two seasons in purple and gold ended with diminished opportunity.
The Tennessee connection
Knecht arrived in the NBA as a 17th overall pick in 2024, and his first season showed promise. The former Tennessee guard appeared in 78 games as a rookie, averaging 9.1 points while shooting 37.6% from three-point range—proof that the floor spacing projection had legs. That rookie campaign kept him relevant in Los Angeles’s rotation and justified the investment.
Year two told a different story. Under JJ Redick, Knecht’s role withered. He appeared in 54 games but played just over 10 minutes per game, a sharp drop that signaled he’d fallen out of the Lakers’ plans entirely. For a guard built on perimeter shooting, that kind of bench exile leaves little margin for recovery inside an NBA rotation.
Why the Knicks take the flyer
New York’s two-way arrangement gives Knecht the runway to rebuild his stock without taking up precious roster space. The Knicks waived Kevin McCullar Jr. to create the opening, adding Knecht to a two-way rotation that already includes Jaden Akins and Tyler Nickel. It’s a low-cost gamble on a player with proven distance shooting who simply needs consistent minutes to regain his footing.
The league is littered with guards who disappeared after year one and bounced back with a change of scenery and usage. Knecht’s rookie numbers suggest real skill; his second year says more about fit and coaching continuity than execution. The Knicks get a chance to test whether he can produce if given real playing time.
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