Where Bronny James Fits on Lakers' Updated Depth Chart After Dalton Knecht Release

The Los Angeles Lakers made the somewhat surprising decision to release former first-round pick Dalton Knecht on Monday, per ESPN's Shams Charania, leading to some interesting questions about the rotation heading into the 2026-27 season.

Two notable players who made the roster over Knecht: Guards Bronny James and Jaden Hardy. Here's a look at how the depth chart could shake out:

• PG: Luka Dončić; Collin Sexton; Bronny James
• SG: Austin Reaves; Adou Thiero; Jaden Hardy
• SF: Quentin Grimes; Matisse Thybulle; Cameron Carr
• PF: Ziaire Williams; Jake LaRavia; Sandro Mamukelashvili; Jarred Vanderbilt
• C: Walker Kessler; Kevon Looney

The reality is that James is unlikely to see significant minutes. Dončić, Reaves, Grimes and Sexton can all handle playmaking duties, and mixing and matching the team's various wing options will likely be a bigger priority than getting James much work in the rotation.

While James making the roster over Knecht may feel like a vote of confidence from head coach JJ Redick and the front office, it's just as likely that the Lakers felt Knecht was no longer a fit and needed a change of scenery.

"The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed," Redick told reporters Friday regarding Knecht. "I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. So I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he's in a tough spot right now."

The Lakers had a ton of turnover this offseason, reshaping the roster to better suit Dončić's skill set. But for all of the moving pieces, it's still hard to imagine a pathway—sans injuries—for Bronny to see many minutes.