​The Los Angeles Lakers currently have 16 players under standard contracts—one over the regular-season limit. With just a few days left before the NBA raises the curtain on a new campaign, the Lakers have identified a prime candidate to trade or waive to make the numbers work. Third-year guard/forward Dalton Knecht has fallen out of favor with head coach JJ Redick since being drafted 17th overall by the purple and gold in 2024. After a solid rookie year, Knecht didn’t make the expected sophomore jump, prompting the Lakers to trade him to Charlotte for center Mark Williams in February 2025. However, once that deal fell through and Knecht had to return to Los Angeles, nothing was ever the same. The 25-year-old now looks like the odd man out as the Lakers prepare for their first year in the post-LeBron James era. The ReportGary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesLeague insider Jake Fischer reports that the Lakers have been in trade talks to reduce their roster from 16 to 15 standard contracts and possibly add some frontcourt help in the process. The Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as a potential dance partner, with forward/center Jericho Sims liked by the Lakers. Fischer added that exploratory trade talks have taken place, and the Lakers would need to add second-round draft capital for the deal to succeed. However, Fischer’s sources are pessimistic that the trade will actually materialize. If that were to be the case, the Lakers could be forced to cut Knecht, which would be an enormous loss on their investment in him. Where Did It Go Wrong? Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesThe Lakers were extremely excited by Knecht’s shooting and experience coming out of Tennessee at 23. At 6-foot-6, he immediately added reliable rotation wing depth as a rookie, averaging 9.1 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc and appearing in 78 games. There were high hopes for a Year 2 leap, but it never happened. Midway through his second season, Knecht’s splits were about the same when the Lakers pulled the trigger on trading him for Williams, an ascending center who would fill a pressing need on the roster. However, because Williams failed his physical, the team rescinded the deal two days later. Having already traveled to Charlotte, Knecht had to return. It was already after the trade deadline, so no other moves were possible. Everyone handles such setbacks differently, and it frankly looks like Knecht never recovered from the thought of the Lakers giving up on him, for lack of a better term. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesHe went from playing close to 20 minutes a night to being an end-of-the-bench player by the end of last season. Knecht remained out of the Lakers’ rotation for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign, mostly playing only late in games when the outcome was already decided. His fortunes didn’t change this preseason. He didn’t get back into Redick’s good graces, and it’s surprising the Lakers haven’t tried to move him sooner. Or perh