Lakers' Dalton Knecht gets brutal roster update as NBA future takes turn for the worse

The Los Angeles Lakers are still one player over the allowed roster limit as training camp comes to an end. LA will have to decide how to get rid of at least one player.

The name expected to be let go is former first-round pick Dalton Knecht. Everything that has been said about him this preseason has been negative.

"Not a good sign for Knecht, whom multiple rival executives expect to be the odd man out as the Lakers look to trim their roster from 16 players on standard NBA deals to the league maximum of 15," California Post's Khobi Price wrote.

The only way for Knecht to avoid being waived is to be traded. There is a possibility he could be included in a consolidation trade to reduce the roster to 15 players.

"My understanding is a consolidation trade. Obviously, it would be two-for-one, three-for-one, or three-for-two is a little more complicated," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said. "So I think the most straightforward one would be two-for-one…And depending on the configuration of the trade, it could be a version of two of the back-end guys, let's say Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, for a backup center."

However, if Knecht is waived, as many expect, his future in the NBA could become uncertain. There are not many teams with open roster spots.

"He's in a tough spot because most rosters are full, or actually, over-full," Buha said. "I just don't see a realistic landing spot where someone is gonna claim him off waivers or trade for him solo."

Things continue to look bleak for Knecht as he tries to prove he can be a productive player in the right system. His time in LA has not gone the way he hoped.

If Knecht is waived, he will have the opportunity to find a team that values him. The former first-round pick is still a good shooter who can contribute in that role, but finding the right opportunity will be key.