The Los Angeles Lakers are now staring elimination in the face after blowing a double-digit lead and dropping Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-113, on Sunday afternoon.
After starting the game with their typical playoff rotation, Lakers head coach JJ Redick made the decision at halftime to adjust the lineup they'd use coming out of the locker room, Jaxson Hayes was replaced by Dorian Finney-Smith, and then wound up not making another substitution the rest of the way.
While this was by no means a pre-planned strategy by Redick and Los Angeles' coaching staff, it was a call that they agreed to make during the halftime break and they lived with the consequences. With Redick showing that he is willing to make such dire decisions in order to put the Purple and Gold in a position to win these do-or-die postseason games, the members of the roster who did not see the floor over the course of the final 24 minutes of Game 4 cannot be feeling comfortable in their own skin when it comes to their place on the team moving forward.
Lakers Rookie Dalton Knecht Entering Possible Final Game in Los Angeles
The proof is in the pudding with this one. Rob Pelinka and the front office already agreed to trade the team's 2024 first-round pick once this season and, as we all know, that deal was ultimately voided due to injury concerns with Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams.
Outside of spot minutes at the end of Los Angeles' lopsided Game 1 loss and then a brief stint in their loss in Game 3, Knecht has not seen the floor in this series. His playing time became more sporadic as the regular season went on and, as a result, his role diminished. With Redick showing little to no interest in using the rookie in this series against the Timberwolves, it is fair to wonder just what kind of fit the 24-year-old will have with the franchise moving forward as pursuing championships is all that matters to the Lakers.
If Knecht cannot find a way to make himself a valuable enough asset to be playable, which seems like an uphill climb to make at this stage of the season, his time in Los Angeles could be much shorter than he had anticipated when the franchise selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Lakers aren't the type of franchise that is willing to play the long game when it comes to building a championship-caliber roster and that isn't going to change anytime soon. Don't be surprised to hear Knecht's name included in trade rumors this offseason as, if they aren't going to play him, the Lakers would be wise to get whatever value they can in return for the swingman via trade.