The Charlotte Hornets had Dalton Knecht for a few days last February but had to return him to the Los Angeles Lakers after the Mark Williams deal was nixed. As it turns out, the Hornets would have faced a serious problem had they been able to retain Knecht, who has been outplayed by Bronny James in Summer League and might not even see minutes once the regular season starts.
With the deal with the Lakers falling through, Charlotte was able to net a different package in exchange for Williams this summer, converting him into a 2025 pick that it used on Liam McNeeley and a 2029 draft selection that projects to land near the end of the first round. It may be too early to tell, but the package the team received appears to be better than what it would have obtained from Los Angeles.
McNeeley has proven to be one of the steals of the draft, having displayed an ability during Summer League to get buckets and impact the game elsewhere, including crashing the glass, making plays for teammates, and demonstrating sound team defense.
Summer League proves further why Hornets dodged a Dalton Knecht bullet
As for Knecht, he has been atrocious from the field. And if his shooting is not up to par, he does not provide that much value to the Lakers. The former University of Tennessee standout's defensive deficiencies thwarted his hopes of receiving meaningful playing time during his rookie year in spite of his purported offensive prowess.
James has been the complete opposite this summer, as the second-generation hoopster is doing it all on both ends of the floor. He has been shooting efficiently, getting his teammates involved, and locking up opposing ball-handlers like a hawk.
Chances are that the young combo guard might still not crack the regular rotation for the Lakers on opening night. But at this rate, he is more likely to be called upon if the coaching staff has to decide who to sub in between him and Knecht.
Evidently, Charlotte is better off not having acquired the 24-year-old swingman. Considering that the organization gave up a player of Williams' caliber in the supposed trade, Charles Lee or Chris Jent, the Hornets' Summer League coach, would have been forced to allot some minutes to Knecht.
In addition, having the second-year pro on the roster would have been a waste of a spot, given that they also have similar players, particularly Kon Knueppel and McNeeley, with higher floors and ceilings.