DALTON KNECHT IS TRADED FOR HORNETS CENTER MARK WILLIAMS
Los Angeles - In another blockbuster trade the Lakers are sending Dalton Knecht, their 2024 first round selection, to Charlotte in exchange for Center Mark Williams.
The full trade also includes sending Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first round pick, and a pick swap in 2030.
After securing Luka Doncic it appeared that Los Angeles had already secured the star of the future and any other moves were deemed unnecessary. We were wrong.
Dalton Knecht was a new suit in shining armor, from his outstanding story starting at a Junior College and rising up the ranks to become an outstanding SEC guard.
In his final year of eligibility Knecht averaged 21.7 Pts, 4.9 Reb,1.8 Ast with the Volunteers. He was awarded All-Sec honors for the 2024 school year and it ended with him being selected 17th overall by the Lakers in the first round.
With his first year with LA, Knecht started off with a great 5 game stretch in November where he put up 37 against Utah on the 19th. However, his inconsistencies might be the source of why LA has decided to trade the young guard. He shows potential on why he was valued with a first round selection, but after finding the future point man in Doncic, Dalton was expendable.
The return for LA needed to be a strong center that could give some form of production missing by the exit of Anthony Davis. Mark Williams is a former first round pick(15th overall), who is now in his third year in the NBA.
Williams is 23 years old and has had one of his best seasons in 2025, but once again his time is limited. The injury history is something that the Laker will have to monitor in the future, as fans might anticipate he may be a Davis 2.0. The new laker center has only played a total of 85 games in his three seasons in the league. He does average around 15 PPG, and 9.6 RPG. If he can stay on the court with LA who knows what he can be for this starting lineup.
