The Los Angeles Lakers had a really good season that ended at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
The Lakers’ offseason begins at the NBA draft, and they own the No. 25 pick. They will likely select the best player available, possibly someone ready to contribute to winning basketball, as per Silver Screen and Roll on SB Nation.
One of the players projected to get drafted by the Lakers was recently called a replacement for Dalton Knecht.
Lakers Predicted to Draft Dalton Knecht’s Replacement
GettyDailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns walks across the court against the BYU Cougars during the first half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
According to Maxwell Ogden of LakeShowLife, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to part ways with Dalton Knecht this offseason. Knech had an underwhelming second year as a pro and would be better off developing on a new team.
Knecht struggled with multiple aspects of the game, like defense, leading to a crisis in confidence, which affected his shooting. Coach JJ Redick had no choice but to remove him from the rotation and limit his playing.
Ogden predicted that if the Lakers were to get rid of Knecht, they should draft Texas’ Dailyn Swain.
“Swain is a comparable talent to Knecht in regard to playing style, size, and even weaknesses,” Ogden wrote. “Much like Knecht, he’s a three-level scorer who has the tools to be a quality defender, but lacks the consistency on that end of the floor to garner true two-way praise.
“What makes Swain an intriguing potential replacement for Knecht is the fact that he’ll turn 21 in July—making him four years younger than the incumbent. That gives the Lakers considerably more time to develop Swain than they may have to help Knecht unlearn bad habits.”
Swain averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals as a junior for the Longhorns. Bleacher Report also projected him being taken 25th overall by the Lakers in their latest NBA mock draft.
Dalton Knecht Named Potential Trade Target For Indiana Pacers
GettyDalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to create the best possible roster around Luka Doncic, they can’t afford to let Dalton Knecht grow and mature. Knecht might be better off playing for a team that fits his skill set and position.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star named Knecht as a potential trade target for the Indiana Pacers. With the Pacers looking to retain their rotational core, they might want to add someone like Knecht.
“He’s on a cheap contract,” Dopirak wrote. “He has a club option for 2027-28, and he might benefit from playing in the Pacers’ wide open system.”
Dopirak’s trade proposal has the Lakers acquiring Ben Sheppard and a second-round pick for Knecht. Sheppard is an athletic wing, an archetype player the Lakers need to sign this offseason, as reported by ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
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