The Los Angeles Lakers spent a first round pick on Dalton Knecht with the hope that his perimeter shooting would unlock things for their offense. The franchise's recent decision to add Marcus Smart to the mix might be the death knell for Knecht's time with the team.
In fairness to GM Rob Pelinka and his staff, they probably did not know Luka Dončić would be joining the team when they spent the premium draft pick on Knecht. If they had, perhaps they would have opted for a superior wing defender to help overcome Doncic's issues on that end of the floor.
In theory, that's what Smart might be able to bring to Los Angeles next year. His career has been derailed with injuries lately which is a big reason why Washington was willing to buy him out of his current contract. Reports indicate Smart will sign a two-year, $11 million pact with the Lakers as soon as he's able.
BREAKING: Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. A return to a grand stage for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8g9Bxzz11E
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2025
If healthy, Smart can provide Los Angeles with depth at both of their backcourt spots. Doncic and Austin Reaves will almost certainly begin the season as the team's guard duo. Smart's ability to handle the ball and guard both spots makes him a potentially valuable backup for head coach JJ Redick.
Smart's addition might help the Lakers overall but it's certainly not good news for Knecht. His lack of size and athleticism means he's only really capable of playing the two-guard spot. The former Tennessee standout is still a minus defensively at that spot but his shooting ability gives him a chance to be an above-average rotation players on the whole.
Decision makers in Los Angeles do not appear to have much confidence in Knecht's ability to work alongside Doncic in the backcourt. The pair of slow-footed guards would struggle to slow down any opposing backcourt on defense. They do present an intriguing offensive fit but the pair would be hunted mercilessly in any meaningful postseason series.
The best path forward for Knecht is to find a new home with a team that's better equipped to minimize his weaknesses and accentuate his strengths. He needs to be paired with good defenders at point guard and on the wing to make sure he can be hidden against the weakest opposing guard. A team that can manage that might really benefit from Knecht's ability to shoot the ball from behind the arc. He shot a very respectable 37.6% from three as a rookie on a healthy number of attempts.
Knecht has the most valuable NBA skill but the Lakers are not a team that is well-positioned to use a player with his skill set. His defensive weakness means he' needs to find a new home after Smart moves ahead of him on the team's depth chart.