Lakers predicted to cut ties with $18 million guard who was nearly traded last season

The Los Angeles Lakers could be in for another eventful trade season. 

The franchise is in a solid spot through seven games (5-2 record), but it hasn’t ruled out a midseason deal to cement its championship contention. 

Lake Show Life’s Quinn Everts thinks that moving on from a 24-year-old second-guard contributor who was nearly traded last season is a viable option for Los Angeles. 

“Dalton Knecht's tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers may have started off too strongly,” Everts wrote Monday. I know that sounds odd, because the Lakers expected Knecht (who was 23 on draft night) to contribute immediately — and he did just that!”

“But Knecht set an unrealistic expectation off the bat with a scorching month of November in which he averaged 13.6 points per game and shot 46% from three-point range. Now, just a year removed, Knecht is a clear trade candidate who may not factor into the Lakers' future plans.”

“In fact, Knecht being a Laker past this year's deadline would be a relative shock.”

It’s been challenging to get a good read on Knecht thus far. 

The Tennessee product has shown glimpses of brilliance on the offensive end, as it’s evident that he has the arsenal necessary to make plays happen on his own accord and as an off-ball threat. 

That said, the former No. 17 overall pick's decision-making/shot selection is concerning, and given his minimal defensive support at this stage, his margin for error is relatively slim. 

Knecht, who the Charlotte Hornets almost landed in an early February trade, is averaging 6.8 points per game this season on 42.1% field goal shooting and 22.7% three-point shooting. 

Perhaps the Lakers could acquire an asset like Andrew Wiggins in a potential trade involving Knecht, assuming the Heat would be interested in developing the young shooting guard.

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