The Los Angeles Lakers have made their decision on their roster for the 2026-27 NBA season. With a deadline approaching and one more player needing to go, the team had to choose between keeping its options open in a potential trade and making a cut.
The decision carries different implications as the Lakers prepare to begin the regular season. Their final move also offers a glimpse into how the franchise is approaching its roster and development plans.
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Lakers keep Bronny James after Dalton Knecht decision
The Lakers’ decision to waive Knecht leaves James on the roster as Los Angeles prepares for the regular season. Both players had been discussed as potential options while the team worked through its roster crunch.
James was selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers have continued to invest in his progress, and keeping him on the roster gives him another opportunity to develop within the team.
The team chose to move on from Knecht, who had struggled to maintain a consistent role after showing promise during his rookie campaign.
The Lakers entered the final roster decisions with 16 players on guaranteed standard contracts, leaving them one spot over the NBA’s 15-player limit. The team explored trade possibilities involving Knecht but did not find a deal before the deadline.
Head coach JJ Redick had recently acknowledged that the team’s needs had changed and that increased competition among wing players had left Knecht in a difficult position.
“I think the biggest thing is the team changed,” Redick said before the Lakers’ preseason finale. “The needs changed. The fit changed.”
Knecht’s situation also followed a failed trade involving center Mark Williams. The Lakers had briefly dealt Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets as part of that transaction, but the deal fell through and he returned to Los Angeles.
The Lakers can turn their attention to the regular season. Los Angeles is scheduled to open against the Golden State Warriors on Oct 21.
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