All signs point to the Los Angeles Lakers cutting ties with Dalton Knecht before the start of the regular season, unless the Tennessee alum changes the perception about him in training camp and preseason.
One intriguing Lakers trade idea doing the rounds would allow JJ Redick to add former NBA champion Pat Connaughton in a clean 1-on-1 swap involving Knecht.
Lakers would receive:Pat Connaughton
Hornets would receive:Dalton Knecht
Pat Connaughton may not even crack JJ Redick's rotation, and yet make a positive impact on the Lakers locker room. The veteran guard was a key contributor on the Milwaukee Bucks squad that won the 2021 NBA title, earning praise from Giannis Antetokounmpo for being the ultimate glue guy. That's precisely why Connaughton, despite his modest counting stats, remains a coveted player around the league.
He earned similar praise in his first season with the Charlotte Hornets last year, with new franchise star Kon Knueppel embracing him as a big brother and a mentor. As highlighted by Sports Illustrated's Owen O'Connor , Connaughton also earned rave praise from Hornets GM Jeff Peterson and head coach Charles Lee for embracing his role, mentoring youngsters and setting a standard by just being a pro.
"The expectations are for him to come in and be a pro," Lee said at last year's Media Day. "He's won a championship and I think he understands what it takes to win at the highest level. Anything he can give to our team on and off the court in those areas that are ultimately gonna get us to where we want to be is gonna be impactful."
"Mosy guys when he speaks, they are all ears," Lee added of Connaughton. "He backs it up. On the court, in the weight room, on the training table. He's a true pro."
Connaughton was named as a finalist for the NBA's Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award. He is precisely the leader this young Lakers squad needs — a team whose oldest player is the 29-year-old Kevon Looney. It also helps that head coach JJ Redick has a strong relationship with Connaughton.
With the Lakers expected to retain Bronny James and offseason acquisition Jaden Hardy, Knecht has emerged as the odd man out. Per insider Khobi Price , rival executives don't expect to see Knecht on the team entering the new season, specifically since the Rob Pelinka-led front office must trim the roster size from 16 to 15.
"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," Price reported last week.
While Redick has continued to praise Knecht for being a consummate professional at training camp, the chances of the third-year wing making the final roster seem bleak.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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