The Los Angeles Lakers have failed to make significant improvements to their roster this offseason despite being embarrassed by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. Lakers fans were hopeful that GM Rob Pelinka would spend the summer revamping the roster that desperately needed more size, defense, and athleticism. Instead, the team watched Dorian Finney-Smith leave in free agency and only replaced him with Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia.
That will surely not be enough to push the Lakers into contender status. A big reason why the Lakers are in trouble is the fact that they waste too many roster spots on players who simply can't contribute at all. One of those players is last year's draft pick Dalton Knecht.
As Knecht enters his second season in the NBA, the Lakers were hoping that the sharpshooter would play a bigger role for the team. However, Knecht's Summer League performances demonstrate that he is nowhere near becoming a quality role player for the Lakers.
Dalton Knecht's Inability to Dominate Summer League Seals His Lakers Fate
Knecht appeared in five games between the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League, playing 27.1 minutes per game. He shot 33.3% from the field and 25% from three, averaging 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. For a 24-year-old player with a guaranteed NBA contract, that is as bad as it gets in the Summer League.
For a player of Knecht's profile to be an effective rotation player, he needs to be an elite three-point shooter. So far, he hasn't been able to show that he is anything more than an above-average shooter. He has also failed to display that he can make an impact in other aspects of the game, as proven by his 2.4 free throw attempts per game.
It is hard to imagine Knecht seeing significant minutes for the Lakers next season. Before letting his trade value tank any further, the Lakers need to consider packaging him in a trade for an immediate upgrade.