Former Tennessee basketball superstar Dalton Knecht is on the move after a wild NBA Trade Deadline. The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Knecht in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but he has been traded closer to home.
Knecht has been traded to the Charlotte Hornets, which will give Tennessee fans dozens more opportunities to see the VFL play in person and give Knecht an opportunity to team up with fan favorite Grant Williams.
Knecht joins Cam Reddish and two first-round draft picks to be moved to Charlotte, while the Lakers received center Mark Williams in return.
I hate seeing Knecht move from Los Angeles, but going to the Hornets will give him more opportunities to play with the ball in his hand in front of a crowd that isn't far from Knoxville, his second home.
Bleacher Report graded all of the trades that happened at the deadline, and the Hornets received an excellent grade for their trade to pick up Knecht. The Hornets received an 'A' grade for their trade, while the Lakers received a 'D' for trading away Knecht.
"The arrival of a 25-year-old Luka Dončić warps the value of the Lakers' 2030 and 2031 first-rounders," Bleacher Report wrote. "But they are far enough out that they carry mystique, and assigning real value to them is easier when you're also grabbing Dalton Knecht, a potentially useful shooter under cost control through 2027-28.
"Charlotte's line of thinking here is admirable. Williams has turned in some big performances since returning from a foot injury, but he has missed more games than he's played since entering the NBA, remains suspect on defense, and is about to be extension-eligible this summer. Selling high now shows a level of forethought and commitment to graduality that the Hornets used to eschew."
Knecht is averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this season, shooting 46.5% from the field and 35.8% from the three-point range.
If he can continue shooting between 45 and 50 percent, he could quickly become one of the most productive players for the Hornets in the second half of the season.
The Hornets are looking to rebuild, as their record is currently 12-36. Knecht could provide a spark, but it's unlikely Charlotte will make any noise this season.