NBA trade rumor: Luka Doncic’s 6-foot-6 Lakers teammate linked to a swap for $40 million Pacers star

Dalton Knecht's Lakers career is running out of runway before camp even opens. Los Angeles carries 16 players on guaranteed deals, one over the roster limit, and Knecht, the No. 17 pick in 2024, produced a negative VORP across 553 minutes last season. Heavy.com's Alder Almo has floated sending Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt to Indiana for Aaron Nesmith, whose $40 million contract and two-way motor fit the timeline L.A. is building around Luka Doncic. Nothing is finalized, and the front office has chased this kind of upgrade all summer without closing a deal.Heavy.com's Alder Almo has proposed routing Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt to Indiana for Aaron Nesmith, a high-effort piece the Lakers wanted when they pursued Jonathan Kuminga and missed.FieldDetailPlayerDalton KnechtCurrent teamLos Angeles LakersRumored teamIndiana PacersContract status$4.2 million salary for 2026-27; Lakers hold a $6.2 million team option for 2027-28, decision due Oct. 31Trade likelihoodOngoing conversation, no deal finalized as of training campLatest insider updateBleacher Report's Jake Fischer says L.A. still wants a wing/forward upgradePotential returnAaron Nesmith, on a $40 million contract with IndianaLakers' Dalton Knecht is expected to be traded for Aaron NesmithAlmo's proposed framework sends Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt to Indiana along with a 2032 first-round pick swap, with Nesmith coming back to Los Angeles. Nesmith carries a $40 million contract with the Pacers and brings the kind of relentless, role-flexible energy the Lakers have been shopping for since missing on Kuminga.The Lakers need a starting-caliber wing who can defend and space the floor, and Nesmith checks both boxes without requiring a ball-dominant role next to Doncic. For Indiana, absorbing two young, inexpensive pieces plus a future first-round swap gives them assets to work with even if neither Knecht nor Vanderbilt projects as an immediate rotation fixture.Why are the Lakers looking to trade Dalton Knecht?Knecht is entering his third season without having carved out a role. The 6-foot-6 forward out of Tennessee, who finished his senior year fifth in the NCAA in scoring, was the Lakers' 2024 first-round pick, but he barely played last season and posted a negative value over the replacement-player mark.Contract: $4.2 million in 2026-27; $6.2 million team option for 2027-28, decision due Oct. 312025-26 stats: 4.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 10.2 MPG, -0.2 VORP over 553 minutesCurrent status: Lakers must trim to 15 guaranteed contracts by opening nightLake Show Life's Tyler Watts has covered the roster crunch closely. "Knecht is the most likely player to be cut," Watts wrote, adding that the pressure on him during camp is real because the front office hasn't found a trade all offseason. Knecht's game, built around shooting and floor spacing, hasn't matched what the Lakers need defensively next to Doncic and Reaves, and younger, cheaper options like Bronny James and Jaden Hardy give the front office alternatives if they choose to cut rather than trade him.NBA reporter Evan Sidery reported early momentum on this front. "The Lakers are actively shopping Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade talks," Sidery wrote.Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer has since confirmed the search is still active. "The Lakers are incomplete right now moving forward," Fischer said, noting there's no urgency to force a deal but that L.A. still wants an upgrade at forward after missing on Kuminga.Hypothetical trade structureLos Angeles Lakers receive: Aaron NesmithIndiana Pacers receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, 2032 first-round pick swapWhat the Lakers gain from this moveNesmith gives the Lakers a plug-and-play forward who can defend multiple positions and space the floor around Doncic and Reaves, exactly the profile they wanted when they pursued Kuminga.Landing him also solves two problems at once: it clears both Knecht and Vanderbilt off the guaranteed-contract list, taking L.A. from 16 down to the required 15 without needing to cut anyone outright.What the Pacers get in returnIndiana walks away with two young, inexpensive rotation pieces in Knecht and Vanderbilt, plus a future first-round pick swap in 2032 that adds long-term asset value. Neither player projects as an immediate starter for the Pacers, but the combination gives them flexibility to keep developing or flip the pieces again down the line.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.