"Nobody's safe" - Ex-Laker gets honest about Dalton Knecht over his LA return as Mark Williams trade gets rescinded

LA Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht’s trade to the Charlotte Hornets was rescinded due to the Hornets’ failure to satisfy a condition of the trade. Former Lakers Patrick Beverley gave his take on the failed move on Sunday via X.

Beverley didn’t play his words as he shared how Knecht should feel upon his return to the Crypto.com Arena.

"You trade me, the trade don't go through, I gotta come back? [If] I'm Dalton Knecht, I'm mad. Y'all don't want me here. What you mean I gotta come back because this motherf***er got hurt?"

The trade, which was agreed upon just four days ago, would have sent Lakers’ Knecht, Cam Reddish and a 2031 first-round pick to the Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams.

However, Williams' physical examination with the Lakers revealed multiple issues, which led the team to fail him, and consequently, the trade was called off. The Hornets have since welcomed Williams back to their organization and expressed their excitement to have him rejoin their roster.

Knecht will remain with the Lakers, where he's been averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds and shooting 46.5% from the field in his rookie season.

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What’s next for Dalton Knecht and the LA Lakers?

The LA Lakers, needing a center, agreed to a trade that involved Mark Williams and Dalton Knecht, but the deal was rescinded on Saturday night, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The trade's collapse had significant implications for both teams, particularly the Lakers, who had hoped to pair an experienced and young center in Williams with Luka Doncic.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Charlotte Hornets - Source: Imagn

Instead, the Lakers will retain Knecht, who has had a solid debut season. Knecht's shooting ability has made him a valuable asset alongside Doncic, who has a proven track record of success with shooters and vertical center threats.

Doncic's playing style, which propelled the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, relied heavily on having shooters and wing defenders around him. While the Lakers have now missed out on acquiring a vertical center threat, the oldest rookie in recent memory’s shooting ability makes him a good fit alongside Doncic.

The Lakers still have to sort out their center problem. To fill the void left by Anthony Davis, the Purple and Gold are exploring the buyout market for potential centers.