Dalton Knecht opens up about his wild week, where he was traded from the Lakers to the Hornets and then returned after the deal was rescinded.
In his rookie season, Dalton Knecht already has the kind of story virtually no one in the NBA does. He was traded to the Hornets as part of the Mark Williams deal but had to return to the Lakers days later because the trade was rescinded.
He was sitting on the bench for Monday’s Lakers game against the Jazz but didn’t play. In Wednesday’s rematch in Utah, he was fully back and played well scoring 10 points in the loss.
After the game, he was asked what the experience was like going from Laker to Hornet and back to a Laker in a matter of days.
“It felt like a movie,” Knecht said. “After that game, I came back the next day went to go get some shots up in the gym. 20 free throws in, I usually always shoot 25 right before I shoot and [vice president of basketball operations] Rob [Pelinka] called me up there and told me the news. It’s hard. I got drafted here, so L.A. means a lot.
“So, hearing that, then I go to Charlotte in the morning with one of my guys and then, get introduced and start meeting all those people. Then fly out to Detroit to what was called my ‘debut game’ to then now I’m flying back to L.A. Rob called me and said ‘You’re coming back.’ I was just excited to go out there and hoop no matter where I was going. I told that to [Lakers head coach] JJ [Redick] and Rob. I get into business, so at the end of the day, I told them, ‘Let’s go play basketball.’”
Knecht handled it as well as a player can. It’s tough to imagine how difficult it is to be deemed expendable and then have to return to that same team immediately after. If he is struggling with that reality, he didn’t let it affect his performance one bit and has been a true professional through all this.
With the trade deadline passed, Knecht should remain a Laker for the rest of the season.
That is, if the Hornets’ dispute about Williams’ failed physical doesn’t amount to anything. We haven’t heard officially from the NBA regarding this matter, so while the saga feels over, there still might be more left to this story.
For now, Knecht can return to hooping with his guys, as he said and continue making an impact as a key part of the Lakers’ rotation.
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