Should Hornets Take Flier on Signing Dalton Knecht?

The Charlotte Hornets are preparing to enter into the 2026-27 NBA season, ready to prove themselves in a tough Eastern Conference.

After undergoing a busy offseason, with the big move being a trade of former star guard LaMelo Ball, the Hornets are coming into the year very confident. This team has solid depth across the roster, and Charlotte feels good about where they currently are.

But like any team, the Hornets can still add more talent to the roster, helping to give itself more firepower for the season. Charlotte wants to get back to the playoffs this year, ending a long drought that has taken over the club.

One name that could make some sense for this team is former first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht, who was recently released by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had been trying to trade Knecht for some time, but no teams across the league wanted to give up anything for him.

Despite him being a former first-round pick, Knecht's time in Los Angeles was fairly underwhelming, but it wasn't completely his fault. The former Tennessee product actually got off to a good start with the Lakers, starting eight games and averaging 11.9 points per game.

Fans in Los Angeles believed that he could become part of the long term rotation plans of the team, but Knecht then started to come back down to earth. And what sealed his fate with the team was a rescinded trade with the Hornets during the trade deadline a few years ago.

The Hornets and Lakers agreed on a deal to send former center Mark Williams to Los Angeles, while Charlotte got Knecht back. But the Lakers pulled out of the trade after seeing the medicals from Williams.

After that happened, Knecht was never the same player, and his team with the Lakers was seemingly over. Los Angeles kept Knecht on the roster, looking for a trade, but nothing ever materilzed.

Now a free agent, Knecht will look for his next stop, and the Hornets should give him a chance. Not only was Charlotte interested in trading for him, but the team wanted to draft him before the Lakers did.

The Hornets can now get Knecht on a cheap deal, giving him a chance to prove himself with a new team. Knecht was drafted in the first round for a reason, and he remains just 25 years old.

Adding more shooting can never be a bad thing for a team, and a change of scenery could be what helps Knecht reach his ceiling. If anything, this is a low-risk move that could turn out great for the Hornets if Knecht can get his career back on track.