Latest news with #DaltonKnecht
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bronny James Outshines Dalton Knecht In Summer League; Shows Potential As Two-Way Player
Bronny James Outshines Dalton Knecht In Summer League; Shows Potential As Two-Way Player originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Bronny James struggled in the NBA Summer League for the Los Angeles Lakers as a rookie, but that's not been the case as a sophomore. James has been one of the best players for the 1-2 Lakers in Las Vegas and has even managed to outshine Dalton Knecht. James, the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, has averaged 13.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in the NBA Summer League. He has shot a respectable 44.8% from the field, but the outside shot still isn't quite falling, as he is at 31.3% from three. James put in his best performance last time out against the Los Angeles Clippers, recording 17 points (6-10 FG), five rebounds, and five assists. The 20-year-old looked in control and was the best player on both ends of the floor for the Lakers. It's incredible to see just how much James has progressed in a year. He averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in the NBA 2K25 Summer League last year while shooting 35.0% from the field and 15.8% from beyond the arc. Those performances led to questions being asked about whether James truly belonged at this level. The Lakers were criticized for selecting him, but he is starting to silence some of his doubters now. James is never going to become a superstar, but he is showing he has the potential to be a solid two-way player in the NBA one day. He is already a pest defensively, but needs to improve his shooting and his offensive game in general. While shooting was always a question mark for James, that was never the case with Knecht. That outside shot has deserted the 24-year-old in the NBA Summer League, though. Knecht is averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in Las Vegas while shooting 29.0% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. You'd never have expected him to put up these numbers after seeing how well he played last year. Knecht averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in the NBA 2K25 Summer League. He was being talked about as the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft (17th pick), but has now seemingly taken a step back. James and Knecht are trending in opposite directions at the moment, and here's hoping the latter is able to turn things around eventually. LeBron James' Message For Bronny James LeBron James has been in attendance for a couple of Bronny's games, and he has been impressed by what he has seen from his son. After that game against the Clippers, LeBron sent a message on Instagram. "Keep going, kid! Only you know your personal legend!" LeBron would certainly be proud of how much his son has improved. James stated that the game is starting to slow down for him, and he is getting more comfortable with time. That's exactly what you want to hear from a player entering their second season. It's still unlikely that James is going to be a part of the rotation for the Lakers in 2024-25. He needs to progress more on the offensive end in order to get significant minutes in the NBA for a team that aspires to compete for a championship. For now, though, James' focus will be on the Summer League, and he'll be in action next when the Lakers take on the Boston Celtics at Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday at 9 PM story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dalton Knecht's Value Has Fallen, May Not Be Worth A First-Round Pick In Potential Trade Deals
Dalton Knecht's Value Has Fallen, May Not Be Worth A First-Round Pick In Potential Trade Deals originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Just months ago, Dalton Knecht was viewed as one of the more intriguing young assets on the Los Angeles Lakers' roster. A 24-year-old rookie with a team-friendly contract, solid shooting numbers, and flashes of scoring versatility, Knecht held value as a potential sweetener in trade packages. But following a quiet postseason and a disappointing Summer League showing, that value has taken a hit and according to Lakers' insider Jovan Buha, he may no longer even be worth a first-round pick. "Summer League has not helped Knecht's stock, and I don't think at this point he is valued as a first-round pick, in terms of an asset valuation.: "That was what I heard in Vegas from talking to multiple people, non-Lakers people, just gauging what would you give for Dalton Knecht? Or if the Lakers are putting Dalton Knecht in a trade, what is he worth? And the feedback I got was, no longer worth a first-round valuation." That February moment is key. The Lakers had included Knecht in a proposed trade to the Charlotte Hornets that would have brought in young center Mark Williams. Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2031 first-rounder were all set to go until Williams failed his physical, and the trade collapsed. Since then, Knecht's minutes dwindled down the stretch, he was a non-factor in the playoffs, and he entered the offseason in limbo. In three Las Vegas Summer League games, Knecht has averaged just 10.3 points in 28.4 minutes, along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. While not terrible, those numbers are underwhelming for a second-year player, especially one expected to dominate Summer League competition. He has shown moments of scoring polish, but defensively, he remains a liability and hasn't consistently separated himself as a must-keep prospect. As a rookie, Knecht played in 78 games, averaging 9.1 points on 46.1% shooting and a solid 37.6% from three. Those are efficient numbers for a rookie wing, but the lack of playmaking, defense, and physicality left him buried behind veterans in the postseason rotation. The Lakers, meanwhile, have reshaped their roster with savvy additions. Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, and DeAndre Ayton joined the team this summer, giving L.A. an infusion of defensive toughness, rebounding, and wing depth. All three are on short-term, team-friendly contracts. Though the Lakers lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Rockets, they managed to convert that cap slot into three quality rotation players, all younger than DFS, and at less long-term financial risk. Now, with Marcus Smart agreeing to a two-year, $11 million deal, the Lakers needed to free up space. So Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin have been waived. But the question remains whether Knecht, once a promising trade chip, can bring back enough value to help in that cap-shedding effort. He still has supporters around the league. His age, shooting touch, and contract make him appealing to teams looking to develop depth. But the consensus now appears to be that he's not enough of a needle-mover to warrant a first-round pick, at least not in return. At best, he could be a second-round sweetener or part of a salary-matching package in a larger trade. Knecht's future with the Lakers remains unclear. With Jake LaRavia now in the fold and LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Rui Hachimura soaking up most of the wing minutes, Knecht may find himself deeper on the bench than ever. And while he's still young enough to break out, his window to impress might be closing fast. Whether he gets another shot in Los Angeles or becomes a low-cost flyer for a rebuilding team, one thing is clear: his value is no longer what it once story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lakers Waive Jordan Goodwin, Clear Cap Space To Sign Marcus Smart
Lakers Waive Jordan Goodwin, Clear Cap Space To Sign Marcus Smart originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Los Angeles Lakers have turned their offseason roster construction efforts around with their recent signing of Marcus Smart in free agency. While this has positively addressed the team's need for an elite defender, the Lakers had the option of either waiving Jordan Goodwin or packaging Dalton Knecht and Maxi Kleber in a trade move before finalizing Smart's signing, according to Lakers insider Anthony Irwin. Certain cap constraints prevented the team from completing the move for Smart. To alleviate this, the Lakers opted to waive Goodwin instead of trading Knecht and Kleber. While efforts to trade the two were made in the last 24 hours, matters never moved beyond the initial stages. The Lakers also didn't intend to give up significant draft assets in these deals. At the time, Irwin had suggested that a potential trade to clear cap space could have been on the table on a recent episode of "Lakers Lounge." He said: "The Lakers have a couple of paths they can head down. One, the Lakers would prefer to complete some type of a consolidation trade, where they send out an expiring contract and Dalton Knecht, and they bring in a player that they are more confident will help them this year and continue on without having to waive Jordan Goodwin." The Lakers are presently expected to offer Marcus Smart a two-year, $11 million deal. With the buyout from the Wizards, the team could acquire him at a discount. Parting ways with Goodwin made the bi-annual exception (BAE) available to the Lakers to complete this move. While Irwin also discussed the situation surrounding Shake Milton, the Lakers eventually opted to waive the guard, clearing up the necessary roster space to acquire Smart. Smart's arrival doesn't necessarily negate the possibility of trade involving Knecht and Kleber. With aspirations of becoming a title contender, the Purple and Gold could continue with building their roster strength, while also keeping a roster spot open to acquire a player later in the season. In this regard, Knecht has garnered a lot of interest in trade rumors over the offseason. As a sharpshooter with high upside, the young guard brings a lot to the table, even if his display in the Summer League was somewhat underwhelming. Meanwhile, Kleber now serves more as an experienced veteran big man at this stage in his career. While his intelligence and floor spacing ability could be of value to several teams in the league, his status as an expiring contract makes him a more appealing acquisition. When considering what the Lakers could get in return for these two, it is important to remember the team's preference for expiring/short-term contracts that will keep their cap space clear for next season. Having addressed the concerns regarding their big man rotation, the Lakers are more likely to pursue a wing defender. While a star-caliber player is an unlikely acquisition in this trade package, the Purple and Gold could look to sign a player capable of contributing to winning right story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bronny James could participate in Drew League in Los Angeles
This month's summer league was a mixed bag for the Los Angeles Lakers. They went 1-3 in the main Las Vegas summer league, and Dalton Knecht, whom people were hoping would show some real signs of growth, struggled throughout. On the other hand, Bronny James played well on both ends of the floor, which has given people additional hope about his chances of eventually making it as an NBA rotation player. Every summer, the Drew League, a pro-am competition, is held in Los Angeles. There have been times when NBA superstars such as Kobe Bryant or LeBron James have shown up there, and commissioner Dino Smiley said that the younger James could participate this year. Via 'I've heard Bronny, but nothing clear on that yet. I heard Bronny might play. But nothing concrete. Earlier in the summer, there was talk about Dalton Knecht and Cam Christie playing.' The Drew League began play midway through last month, and its playoffs will start on Aug. 2. Some may be concerned that the younger James could get hurt playing against amateur players, but it could also give him an opportunity to sharpen his skills a bit and get in shape before training camp. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Bronny James could participate in Drew League in Los Angeles
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bronny James could participate in Drew League in Los Angeles
This month's summer league was a mixed bag for the Los Angeles Lakers. They went 1-3 in the main Las Vegas summer league, and Dalton Knecht, whom people were hoping would show some real signs of growth, struggled throughout. On the other hand, Bronny James played well on both ends of the floor, which has given people additional hope about his chances of eventually making it as an NBA rotation player. Every summer, the Drew League, a pro-am competition, is held in Los Angeles. There have been times when NBA superstars such as Kobe Bryant or LeBron James have shown up there, and commissioner Dino Smiley said that the younger James could participate this year. Via 'I've heard Bronny, but nothing clear on that yet. I heard Bronny might play. But nothing concrete. Earlier in the summer, there was talk about Dalton Knecht and Cam Christie playing.' The Drew League began play midway through last month, and its playoffs will start on Aug. 2. Some may be concerned that the younger James could get hurt playing against amateur players, but it could also give him an opportunity to sharpen his skills a bit and get in shape before training camp.
