Former Tennessee Star Dalton Knecht Joins Knicks on Two-Way Deal

Dalton Knecht did not stay without a team for long. Cut by the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday as clubs set their rosters for the start of the NBA season, the former Tennessee star has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way contract, according to a report that cited his agents at Excel Sports Management telling ESPN.

The two-way deal gives Knecht a path to appear for both the Knicks and their G League affiliate as he tries to establish a place in New York. It is a fresh start after a brief and unsettled run in Los Angeles, where the Lakers had made him the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft in hopes he would become an important part of their future.

Knecht averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds during a solid rookie season, but the middle of that year brought a strange detour. Los Angeles traded him to Charlotte in a deal for Mark Williams, only for the trade to be rescinded after Williams failed his physical, sending Knecht back to the Lakers.

Tennessee fans know what Knecht can do when he settles into a leading role. During the 2023-24 season he averaged 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds, shot 40 percent from three-point range, and helped lead the Volunteers to the Elite Eight while becoming one of the top scorers in college basketball. New York now gives him a new chance to turn that scoring ability into a lasting NBA role.