Mavericks should sign Dalton Knecht and give him the fresh start the Lakers couldn't

While it looks like the Dallas Mavericks are among the top suitors to sign Walter Clayton Jr. with their open two-way spot that was created by waiving John Poulakidas over the weekend, they should consider picking up Dalton Knecht after the Los Angeles Lakers waived him yesterday.

The former Laker would give them the shooting they need around Cooper Flagg, also providing Knecht with something that he no longer had in Los Angeles: a low-pressure environment to grow at his own pace rather than the pressure of being a contributor on a playoff team.

Dalton Knecht needs more time to grow

The Lakers have high expectations entering the 2026-27 season. They underwent a massive roster makeover to provide Luka Doncic with more players who fit his playstyle. It's NBA Finals or bust at this point for them, as they have to keep their superstar happy. He has a player option after the 2027-28 season, and as Mavs fans know well, his No. 1 priority is always winning.

Los Angeles is looking to win a title as soon as possible with Doncic as their superstar, and their presence in the NBA Playoffs over the last four years shows that they're serious about winning.

They're in ultra win-now mode, and Knecht is better suited to a team that isn't in a rush to contend. His chance of having a role for the Lakers was looking slim had they kept him, and he would've likely been stuck at the end of the bench again.

He needs more time to develop, despite his excellent rookie season, as his feel, defensive awareness, and consistency still need some work.

The Lakers tried to trade Knecht

Los Angeles even tried to trade him near the end of his rookie season, as he was part of an agreed-upon deal that was going to send Mark Williams to the Lakers. Knecht was supposed to be sent to the Charlotte Hornets, but the trade was rescinded after Williams failed his physical.

This trade, combined with his limited role, made Knecht's Lakers future look even more rocky than before, and things got awkward quickly.

Dallas could give Knecht the time he needs to develop

Dallas would make perfect sense for Knecht to get a fresh start, as they've been open about wanting to build for the future around Flagg. DK would have the opportunity to fight for minutes due to the Mavs' need for more shooting, and the downside of such a move is limited.

Signing Knecht to a two-way deal would be a low-risk move that could yield high rewards, and when looking at his career arc in Los Angeles, the Mavericks should give him a chance to tap into the potential he showed at the very beginning of his career.

His off-ball movement, big-time shotmaking, and microwave scoring would be an intriguing addition to Dallas' bench, and after they shot 32.4 percent from three during the preseason, they clearly need some more shooters to combat this issue.

Knecht set the bar high for himself during his rookie season. He averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 37.6 percent from 3-point range on 4.4 attempts per game in 78 games and 16 starts.

His electric shooting off the bench gave the Lakers a needed spark, and many Lakers fans believed that the team had found a hidden gem after they drafted him with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Knecht could earn a real role on the Mavericks

While his rookie year was filled with hype and some big performances, his sophomore season was not. Knecht played just 10.2 minutes per game and went from being a regular part of JJ Redick's rotation for most of his rookie season to someone who stacked up 10 DNP-CDs in the final month of his second year.

His path to cementing himself as a rotation-caliber wing in Redick's rotation seemed nearly impossible, especially after being traded (despite the deal not going through), and Dallas would be a completely different environment for him to learn and try to revive the success that he had as a rookie.

The Mavs could sign him to a two-way deal, allowing him to play for both Dallas and the Texas Legends in the G League, allowing him to start over and rebuild trust in an organization that believes in him rather than one that tried to trade him.

This would be a reality check for Knecht after being drafted in the first round just over two years ago, but he would be joining a team that prioritizes developing its young players rather than pushing for immediate results. Dallas and Los Angeles are opposites in this era, and Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz should at least consider bringing him in to give their young core a proven shooter who can get hot in a hurry.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow