Lakers' Dalton Knecht Reportedly Seen as 'Negative Asset' in Trade Talks by NBA Scout

Los Angeles Lakers second-year guard Dalton Knecht's struggles during the preseason reportedly put a major dent in his trade value entering the 2025-26 campaign.

The Athletic's Dan Woike reported that scouts who watched Knecht this preseason were left "as pessimistic as ever," with one even calling him "a 'negative asset,' meaning the Lakers would need to attach pieces to incentivize a team in a trade."

Knecht, who averaged 9.1 points in 78 games as a rookie, shot just 2-of-10 from the field in the preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns, and he was just 3-of-11 in Los Angeles' outing against the Golden State Warriors, both of which were losses.

Woike noted that the Lakers chose not to trade the 2024 No. 17 pick because what they would've received in return was "not worth giving up on the potential that's still there." After Knecht's early struggles, Woike reported that "scouts and executives, almost unanimously, felt that the Lakers wouldn't be able to recoup comparable value to the No. 17 pick they used" in last year's draft. Some speculated that a trade for him would garner no more than multiple second-round picks.

The Lakers are hoping to compete for an NBA championship this season, so Knecht will have to improve in a big way if he hopes to earn a rotation spot and avoid being shipped away during the year.