Lakers’ 2023 Draft Gamble Backfiring Badly— Scouts Sour on Dalton Knecht
The early returns on Dalton Knecht’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers are looking increasingly discouraging. What once seemed like a promising draft-day steal is now beginning to resemble a misstep, as Knecht continues to struggle with both performance and perception in his sophomore season. Whether it’s the fallout from a failed trade last season or the weight of unmet expectations, it’s becoming harder to justify his role — or even his roster spot — moving forward.
In a recent report by Dan Woike of The Athletic, the situation surrounding Knecht was painted in stark terms. According to Woike, league insiders — scouts and executives alike — have all but lost faith in the 17th overall pick. The general consensus is that Knecht wouldn’t fetch anything close to his draft value in a trade. In fact, some believe he’d return no more than a single second-round pick, while one executive reportedly called him a “negative asset,” suggesting the Lakers would need to add value to move him at all.
Knecht’s lackluster preseason debut only reinforced that perception, as he shot just 1-for-12 from the field. That poor performance followed a summer league stretch where his shot had already begun to waver — a troubling sign for a player whose shooting was once considered his greatest strength. Compounding matters, the defensive concerns that limited his minutes during his rookie campaign still persist.
At this point, a change of scenery may be in the best interest of all parties. Knecht would benefit from a team where he doesn’t have to fight for every minute, while the Lakers need to address glaring issues in their rotation, such as perimeter defense and the backup center position. For a team with championship ambitions, they can’t afford to wait and hope Knecht figures it out.
