Dalton

Knecht

Friday’s game is the second in as many nights for the Lakers. With Doncic shouldering a heavy workload in Milwaukee on Thursday as LeBron James (groin) remains sidelined, he will not play against the Nuggets. Dalton Knecht will likely move into the starting lineup, which raises his fantasy ceiling considerably.

Williams, who was initially traded to the Lakers at the February 6 deadline, was not with the Hornets for any of their three games before the All-Star break after the deal was rescinded. While it was reported on February 11 that the Hornets were exploring their options with the league, the franchise has not filed a protest with the NBA. “No. Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind,” Silver said Saturday. “I think the larger issue is if there is a different standard of sort in terms of players passing physicals in trades. It’s something we should look at as a league.” It’s unknown if Williams will rejoin the Hornets after the break, with the team’s first game being against the Lakers on Wednesday in a makeup of the matchup that was postponed due to the January wildfires in Los Angeles County.

Hachimura will return to the lineup after missing one game with an illness. Dalton Knecht will likely be demoted to a bench role in the aftermath.

With both Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura sidelined, Hayes and Knecht will slide into the starting unit to replace them. This will be the first career start for the Lakers’ first round pick from this summer, and he should be able to provide plenty of 3-pointers in an extended role.

The Lakers will be down two starters in the frontcourt in this game, which will open up a lot of minutes. Jaxson Hayes should be locked in as a starter, with Christian Koloko also filling out some minutes. The other spot will likely be filled by one of Cam Reddish, Max Christie or Dalton Knecht, with LeBron James shifting over to power forward. Reddish played the largest role in their last game and should provide some steals in extended minutes.

Hachimura isn’t in the best shape after posting a 20-point double-double his last time out. Los Angeles is short on longer wings, so Dalton Knecht or Max Christie could have to step into the starting lineup if Hachimura is ruled out.

The Lakers have to be thrilled with their rookie’s performance. He scored 20 of their 22 points to help his team complete the comeback and win in overtime. In fantasy, he was even able to add in two steals and two blocks. The starters were pulled since it was a preseason game, which allowed Knecht to close things out. He’ll likely play a reserve role during his rookie season, which won’t allow him to have many performances like this one. However, this was incredibly encouraging and has to have dynasty managers excited.

Knecht continues to pour in the buckets for the Lakers, though this was one of his more efficient shooting nights. He has shot below 40% from the floor in four of his six games, which is to be expected from a rookie. It has been encouraging to see him contribute in other categories, though during the regular season, his primary function will be as a floor spacer. It is unlikely that he’ll be able to produce well-rounded value while playing alongside the Lakers’ starters like he has on the Summer League team.

Knecht is not dealing with any injuries, but the team has decided that he should take the night off. Knecht shouldered a significant workload between practices, the California Classic, and the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas. Hence, the decision to hold him out. The absence of the first-round pick will free up additional opportunities for players such as Maxwell Lewis and Bronny James, with the latter struggling mightily in Las Vegas.

Since struggling to begin the California Classic, Knecht’s production has picked up. He didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, but the first-round pick was by far the Lakers’ most assertive player on the offensive end of the floor. The defensive production was a welcome bonus, and Knecht can provide solid value on the boards. The role he has taken on in summer league is unlikely to align with what the Lakers will need from Knecht once the season begins, but he’s a talented scorer who can give the team solid production off the bench from Day One.