Dalton Knecht explained: why he was waived

Published October 21, 2026 at 11:16 p.m. · 10 sources · 100+ searches today

The Los Angeles Lakers waived Dalton Knecht on Monday, October 19, 2026, in their final roster cut before the NBA regular season. The move is drawing attention because he was the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and was released only two seasons later, while the Lakers kept Bronny James and Jaden Hardy.

Key facts

Lakers waived Dalton Knecht on Oct. 19, 2026, before opening night.
Knecht was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Los Angeles trimmed its roster to the 15-player regular-season limit.
Knecht is 25 years old and had been in trade speculation.
He thanked the Lakers on Oct. 20 and said he plans to keep playing.

What happened

The Los Angeles Lakers waived Dalton Knecht on Monday, October 19, 2026, as they made their final roster cut before the start of the NBA regular season. Reports say the move was finalized around Tuesday, October 20, but all accounts agree it came immediately before the opener.

The decision left Los Angeles at the 15-player regular-season limit. The Lakers reportedly kept Bronny James and Jaden Hardy, and Knecht was viewed as the most logical final cut after trade options did not solve the roster surplus.

Why people are talking about it

Knecht’s release stands out because he was the Lakers’ No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Being waived two seasons after being selected makes the decision notable and has made it a topic of interest in Canada and elsewhere.

The story also links to a major Lakers storyline involving Bronny James. That combination of a former first-round pick being waived and the team keeping other high-profile roster pieces is a big reason the move is trending.

His recent form and background

Knecht is 25 years old and had already been the subject of trade speculation before the waiver. Even so, he had just put together a strong preseason showing against Utah on October 18, scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and making five three-pointers.

That strong game made the cut more surprising to many observers. Still, the Lakers moved ahead with the roster decision as they finalized the group for the 2026–27 season.

What to watch next

As of October 21, 2026, the key question is where Knecht’s career goes next after his release. He has already said publicly that he intends to continue his basketball career.

The timing details are slightly inconsistent across reports, but the practical result is the same: Knecht is no longer on the Lakers roster ahead of the season opener. The next updates will likely focus on whether another team signs him or whether he lands in another basketball situation.

Frequently asked

Why is Dalton Knecht trending in Canada today?

He is trending because the Lakers waived him on October 19, 2026, just before the NBA regular season began. The move was surprising because he was a first-round pick in 2024 and had just had a strong preseason game.

When did the Lakers waive Dalton Knecht?

Reports place the waiver on Monday, October 19, 2026, with some describing the roster move as finalized on Tuesday, October 20. As of October 21, 2026, all reports agree it happened right before the season opener.

What pick was Dalton Knecht in the 2024 NBA Draft?

He was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. That is why his release only two seasons later drew so much attention.

Did Dalton Knecht play well before being waived?

Yes. On October 18, he scored 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and hit five three-pointers against Utah in preseason. That made the waiver more surprising to many fans.

Sources

Researched automatically from live news and written by Simpledot's AI; facts are limited to what the sources above report as of the published time. Spot an error? Tell us.