{"id":87904,"date":"2025-08-11T01:13:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T01:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=87904"},"modified":"2025-08-11T01:13:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T01:13:00","slug":"hot-news-lakers-facing-dalton-knecht-trade-decision-after-marcus-smart-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=87904","title":{"rendered":"HOT NEWS: Lakers Facing Dalton Knecht Trade Decision After Marcus Smart Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0added quite a few players to their rotation this offseason. One of them was Marcus Smart, who, after spending his first nine\u00a0NBA\u00a0seasons with the\u00a0Boston Celtics, found himself on the Lakers after bouncing around with the\u00a0Memphis Grizzlies\u00a0and\u00a0Washington Wizards.<\/p>\n

Smart has been injury-prone since the Celtics traded him in 2023, as he\u2019s appeared in only 54 games over the last two seasons, which lowered his value. That\u2019s why the Grizzlies traded a first-round pick to dump his contract to the Wizards and why the Wizards bought him out. Even so, Smart is predicted to be one of the Lakers\u2019 starters this coming season.<\/p>\n

Lakers insider\u00a0Jovan Buha\u00a0predicted that Smart will be one of the Lakers\u2019 starters this season, joining\u00a0Luka Doncic,\u00a0LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton.<\/p>\n

\"Lakers<\/figure>\n

Marcus Smart\u2019s Arrival Could Push Dalton Knecht Out of Lakers\u2019 Rotation<\/h2>\n

What also stood out about Buha\u2019s prediction is that Dalton Knecht will not be in the Lakers\u2019 10-man rotation. When fans asked him why he thinks Knecht won\u2019t play, he explained that the Lakers\u2019 emphasis on playing a traditional second unit center would push him out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they need to play their best players and it\u2019s hard to argue him higher than 10th,\u201d\u00a0Buha wrote. \u201cAnd even if you make that case, that means no backup center and the Lakers likely playing 16-20 minutes center-less. If they expand the rotation to 11 guys \u2014 unlikely but possible, at least for stretches of the season \u2014 then DK makes sense.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Buha\u00a0then explained that Knecht could see more playing time if JJ Redick opts for smaller lineups, but given LA\u2019s emphasis on adding playable centers this offseason, that feels unlikely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both had him outside of the 10-man rotation, but we acknowledged that this assumes JJ plays Jaxson\/Maxi at backup 5 and they play more traditional lineups,\u201d he added. \u201cIf they don\u2019t play a true backup 5, DK could slide into the 10th spot. Hard to see him playing over any of top 9.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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