Lakers waive Dalton Knecht instead of paying to move him

With 16 players on standard guaranteed deals, the Lakers waived 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht to set their 15-man roster, first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and confirmed by the team. They reportedly looked for a two-for-one trade or a taker, but Knecht had negative trade value on his $4.2MM cap hit, and they chose not to attach any of their three remaining second-round picks. The Lakers still owe his 2026-27 salary, his $6.45MM team option for 2027-28 is voided, and he is expected to become a free agent on Wednesday, when he can also sign a two-way deal.