{"id":112511,"date":"2025-10-20T08:03:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T08:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=112511"},"modified":"2025-10-20T08:22:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T08:22:08","slug":"breaking-news-lakers-make-amends-for-dalton-knecht-mistake-in-their-latest-mock-trade-could-this-be-the-game-changer-theyve-been-waiting-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=112511","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: Lakers make amends for Dalton Knecht mistake in their latest mock trade \u2014 could this be the game-changer they\u2019ve been waiting for?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"l-article__header\">\n<h3 class=\"c-headline c-headline--extra-large entry-title\">Lakers Finally Correct Dalton Knecht Mistake in Latest Mock Trade<\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"l-article__content\">\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"has-video wp-caption \">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2177177378-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=594\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2177177378-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=594 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2177177378-594x594-1.jpg?quality=45&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2177177378-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Dalton Knecht Los Angeles Lakers Phoenix Suns\" width=\"594\" height=\"407\" data-dom-ready-time=\"2355\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-start=\"397\" data-end=\"495\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0might finally be getting the\u00a0Dalton Knecht\u00a0trade right\u2014at least on paper. In a\u00a0new mock trade, the Lakers send Knecht, Gabe Vincent, and future draft capital to the\u00a0Phoenix Suns\u00a0in exchange for veteran forward Royce O\u2019Neale and center Nick Richards.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"397\" data-end=\"495\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The deal, worth roughly $57 million in combined player value, aims to fortify Los Angeles\u2019 rotation with proven contributors while giving the struggling 2024 first-round pick a much-needed fresh start.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"914\" data-end=\"951\">A Sensible Trade for Both Sides<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"953\" data-end=\"1446\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">For the Lakers, this hypothetical deal checks multiple boxes. They\u2019d be addressing two of their biggest needs: perimeter defense and interior depth.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"953\" data-end=\"1446\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">O\u2019Neale brings postseason experience, a reliable three-point shot, and the kind of defensive toughness that complements LeBron James and Luka Don\u010di\u0107 on the wing.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"953\" data-end=\"1446\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Richards, meanwhile, provides an athletic backup big capable of protecting the rim and finishing lobs\u2014a key missing piece behind Anthony Davis\u2019s departure earlier in the offseason.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1448\" data-end=\"1878\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Given Los Angeles\u2019 hard-cap restrictions, upgrading without gutting the rotation is no small feat. Knecht\u2019s rookie contract makes him one of the team\u2019s few movable assets, and despite his diminished value after a rocky Summer League and preseason, the potential return here makes sense.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1448\" data-end=\"1878\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Trading a young shooter who\u2019s still finding his\u00a0NBA\u00a0rhythm for two ready-made rotation players fits the team\u2019s current championship timeline.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1880\" data-end=\"2231\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">For Phoenix, the move leans more developmental. The Suns, having shifted into a youth movement after trading Kevin Durant, get a 24-year-old scorer with size and shooting upside.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1880\" data-end=\"2231\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Knecht\u2019s college pedigree and flashes of shot creation still intrigue scouts, and a change of scenery\u2014especially one without title-or-bust pressure\u2014could unlock his game.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"2238\" data-end=\"2266\">Knecht\u2019s Slide in L.A.<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2268\" data-end=\"2480\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">A year ago, Dalton Knecht looked like a draft-day steal. The former Tennessee standout entered the NBA with a reputation as one of college basketball\u2019s most polished scorers. But his transition has been uneven.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2482\" data-end=\"2905\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Inconsistency and defensive lapses have defined his young career. He\u2019s had electric moments\u2014like a 37-point outburst as a rookie\u2014but they\u2019ve been buried beneath long stretches of inefficiency and hesitation<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2482\" data-end=\"2905\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Through the 2024\u201325 season, Knecht averaged 9.1 points per game on 46% shooting, yet his minutes fluctuated wildly. By this middle of the season, he\u2019d fallen out of the rotation amid additions of veteran defenders and wings.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2907\" data-end=\"3311\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">League scouts labeled him a \u201cnegative asset\u201d this offseason, suggesting the Lakers might need to attach picks just to move him. That\u2019s a stunning fall for a player once viewed as a ready-made contributor.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2907\" data-end=\"3311\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Still, has size, shooting mechanics, and offensive feel make him a worthwhile reclamation project\u2014especially for a Suns team looking to reload around young stars like Jalen Green and Mark Williams.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"3318\" data-end=\"3352\">Why the Lakers Win This Mock<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3354\" data-end=\"3719\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">In this scenario, the Lakers get back to their identity: defense and depth. O\u2019Neale\u2019s switchability and veteran poise immediately raise the team\u2019s defensive ceiling, while Richards gives new head coach J.J. Redick a dependable rotation big.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3354\" data-end=\"3719\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">It\u2019s a trade that sacrifices upside for reliability\u2014a move championship teams tend to make when urgency meets opportunity.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3721\" data-end=\"4003\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">If this deal ever materialized, Los Angeles wouldn\u2019t just be moving on from Knecht\u2014they\u2019d be course-correcting from a misfire.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3721\" data-end=\"4003\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The Lakers have long been caught between developing youth and maximizing LeBron\u2019s window. This trade would signal clarity: win now, with pieces that fit.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4005\" data-end=\"4186\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">For Knecht, it\u2019s a second chance to find footing in a system that can afford to be patient. For the Lakers, it\u2019s a chance to finally make the right kind of move for their present.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"after-post-common\" class=\"l-complementary\" role=\"complementary\">\n<aside id=\"custom_html-27\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\">\n<div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lakers Finally Correct Dalton Knecht Mistake in Latest Mock Trade The\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0might finally be getting the\u00a0Dalton Knecht\u00a0trade right\u2014at least on paper. In a\u00a0new mock trade, the&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112544,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING NEWS: Lakers make amends for Dalton Knecht mistake in their latest mock trade \u2014 could this be the game-changer they\u2019ve been waiting for? - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=112511\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING NEWS: Lakers make amends for Dalton Knecht mistake in their latest mock trade \u2014 could this be the game-changer they\u2019ve been waiting for? - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lakers Finally Correct Dalton Knecht Mistake in Latest Mock Trade The\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0might finally be getting the\u00a0Dalton Knecht\u00a0trade right\u2014at least on paper. 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