The Los Angeles Lakers already parted ways with the majority of their roster from last season, and now even more cuts could be coming.
The Lakers are looking to trade two players on their roster before opening night, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported this week. Those two players are wing Dalton Knecht and forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
This news comes with just two-and-a-half weeks to go before the start of training camp. Fischer further adds that the Lakers would still like to make a trade upgrade at the wing/forward spot after missing out on Jonathan Kuminga in free agency.
Knecht, 25, was the Lakers’ first-round draft pick in 2024 (No. 17 overall). But after a promising rookie season, Knecht fell out of the rotation completely and averaged just 4.2 points per game last year. One recent report even suggested that Knecht might be in danger of getting cut outright.
As for Vanderbilt, 27, he is now one of the longest-tenured players left on the Lakers, joining in 2023. Vanderbilt has found some success as a role player thanks to his versatile defense but has been unable to make a consistent contribution due to his lack of offense and his constant injuries (including a gruesome one in last year’s playoffs).
The Lakers look almost completely different from last year’s team after the departures of LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes. The likes of Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, and Quentin Grimes were all brought in as replacements, and now it looks like Knecht and/or Vanderbilt might have to be replaced as well.
