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Insider: Lakers to offer Dalton Knecht for promising young center
Insider: Lakers to offer Dalton Knecht for promising young center
When it comes to upgrading their roster, the Los Angeles Lakers could look to jettison players such as Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and possibly even Jake LaRavia, all of whom have been perceived as disappointments, along with draft capital to bring back at least one player who will help address their roster needs.
Many feel their biggest roster need right now is some type of upgrade at the center position. The Lakers can either look to secure a starting-level center who is better than Deandre Ayton, their current starting 5, or they can hope Ayton exercises his player option for next season and bring in a very capable backup to play behind him.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to Evan Sidery, Los Angeles will look to acquire New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi, a player it previously looked to land from a package centered around Knecht and second-round draft capital.
"The Lakers are expected to circle back on trade interest involving Yves Missi," Sidery wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"Los Angeles and the Pelicans had previously discussed during the season a framework of Dalton Knecht and 2nd-round draft capital for Missi."
Missi recently turned 22 years of age and was named to the All-Rookie second team last season. This season, he averaged 5.7 points on 54.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes a game.
He isn't an outside shooting threat, but he is very athletic, and at 6-foot-11 and 230 pounds, he has a 7-foot-2 wingspan while possessing a vertical leap as high as 38.5 inches. He could be the type of lob threat Luka Doncic loves to play with while giving the Lakers a strong rebounder and rim protector who can run the floor in transition.
Meanwhile, after showing flashes of promise last season as a rookie, Knecht is heading toward bust territory. He was the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but this year, he played just 10.2 minutes a game and averaged 4.2 points a game while shooting 34.2% from 3-point range. Knecht was expected to be a high-level 3-point sniper in the pros, and perhaps he still has a chance to resurrect his pro career on another team that would give him meaningful playing time.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMissi will make $3.5 million next season, which would make him a low-cost option for a Lakers team that lacks tradable assets. He could turn out to be a high-quality second-string center for Los Angeles as it looks to become a true championship contender.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Insider: Lakers to offer Dalton Knecht for promising young center