Should the Kings Take a Flyer on Knecht if Waived?

Dalton Knecht could be on the chopping block for the Los Angeles Lakers, but should the Sacramento Kings sign him if he's waived?

Los Angeles has 16 players on its roster and must trim down to 15 before the regular season. The team could do so with a 2-for-1 trade or waive a player.

Multiple NBA executives believe Knecht is the odd man out, per Khobi Price of the New York Post on Thursday.

The 25-year-old's role has decreased from his rookie season to his sophomore season. He averaged 9.1 points on 37.6% from three in 19.2 minutes as a rookie; that went down to 4.2 points on 34.2% from three in 10.2 minutes.

His defensive deficiencies are a key reason for his regression. Knecht lacks the lateral quickness to guard smaller players and often gets lost on defensive rotations.

Those lapses frustrated coach JJ Redick, who opted to play more defensive-oriented players in Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia.

Redick praised the third-year forward on Thursday, saying he's a pro and shows up every day to compete for a rotation spot. Knecht has time to prove he can contribute to the Lakers, but that window is dwindling quickly.

Sactown Sports' Brendan Nunes believes Sacramento should take a flyer on Knecht if waived. He thinks the 15th roster spot should be a flyer player rather than a bona fide depth contributor.

The Lakers' forward has shown flashes as a catch-and-shoot and movement three-point shooter. Redick often drew plays to create an open three for Knecht.

Sacramento could use that kind of shooting, especially after finishing tied last in three-point shooting at 34% with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Kings have a plethora of shooters on the roster, making Knecht's strength redundant. Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Malik Monk and Emanuel Sharp take and make a lot of threes.

Knecht could be a viable option if he were an average team defender. Sacramento has valued two-way versatility this offseason with the Ben Simmons September signing and Leaky Black and Tristen Newton training camp deals.

Simmons, Newton and Black can guard the perimeter, bolstering the team's perimeter defense. Add Murray and Hunter as the lockdown starters, and Knecht's place on the roster starts to disappear.

One-way players still have a place in the NBA, but teams are transitioning to two-way versatility. Knecht would have to be an elite shooter to compensate for his defense and make a flyer worth it for the Kings.