The Los Angeles Lakers dug themselves quite a hole this summer by making so many moves that they ended up with one more player than the league's roster limit allows. Since then, they have been figuring out who to move on from.
The preseason was expected to provide a clear picture of which players the Lakers were ready to part ways with. However, it became apparent early on that Dalton Knecht was likely to be the odd man out.
“Not a good sign for Knecht, whom multiple rival executives expect to be the odd man out as the Lakers look to trim their roster from 16 players on standard NBA deals to the league maximum of 15," California Post's Khobi Price wrote.
The Lakers can either trade Knecht or waive him if they cannot find a trade partner by Wednesday. A consolidation trade has emerged as one possibility.
“My understanding is a consolidation trade. Obviously, it would be two-for-one, three-for-one, or three-for-two is a little more complicated," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said. "So I think the most straightforward one would be two-for-one…And depending on the configuration of the trade, it could be a version of two of the back-end guys, let's say Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, for a backup center."
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks have discussed a potential trade involving Jericho Sims and Knecht, although there is currently some doubt that a deal will get done.
“League sources say that the Lakers and Bucks have held exploratory trade discussions on a framework that would ship former first-round selection Dalton Knecht to Milwaukee (along with second-round draft capital) in exchange for big man Jericho Sims,” Fischer wrote on the Stein Line. “Yet it must be said that I've also heard some pessimism from sources briefed on those talks that such a trade will actually go through.”
Los Angeles is hoping to get the deal done, as it would acquire a center it has been seeking while avoiding having to waive Knecht and absorb the financial consequences. For the former first-round pick, a trade would also provide a much-needed change of scenery.
The Lakers have until Wednesday to get a deal done, but much depends on how willing Milwaukee is to work with them. One complication is that the Bucks currently have 17 players on their roster, meaning they would need to make additional moves to accommodate Knecht.
