The New York Knicks signed former Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht to a two-way deal Friday, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Lakers waived Knecht on Monday to shave their roster to 15 players after failing to get a trade across for the third-year forward.
Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/1gePugMy3Z
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2026
The Lakers signed plenty of forward depth in the offseason to make up for their losses of LeBron James and Rui Hacimura, further reducing Knecht’s already limited role within the team. With so many players in front of him, the Lakers decided to waive him over some of their other options.
Knecht had a big role in the 2024-25 season, playing in 78 of the Lakers’ 82 games averaging nearly 20 minutes on the floor. He posted 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game, and figured to be a big part of the team’s future. After a trade which would have sent Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets fell through, though, his role shrunk.
The 25-year-old played in 54 games for the team last year, but only started once and averaged just 10.2 minutes per game on the season. He averaged 4.2 points per game, less than half of his average from the season prior, and his efficiency dropped as a result of his reduced playing time as well.
Where Does Dalton Knecht Fit With the Knicks?
With the Knicks, Knecht will look to get some playing time behind forwards Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, and has a shot at breaking into the team.
The Knicks’ staggering depth played a huge part in their NBA Championship run last year, but they lacked out-and-out forwards—predominantly using guards to fill in at small forward throughout the playoffs. Guards Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson are their options behind Mikal Bridges, and while they’re both good players, the Knicks surely could use a traditional forward to bring in off the bench.
Knecht’s next opportunity to feature for his team comes Friday, when the Knicks take on the Celtics for their second game of the season at 4:00 p.m. PT. The Lakers also resume play on Friday, facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers for their second game of the season at 7:00 p.m. PT.
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