NBA Rising Star Falls from Grace! Even Struggling in the Developmental League! Lakers Likely to Say Goodbye

It's truly unexpected that Knecht, who has completely fallen out of the rotation in the NBA, is seeing his confidence plummet toward zero. The Lakers recently sent him down to the developmental league for playoff games, hoping he could regain form and boost his confidence. Unfortunately, his performance in the first round of the playoffs was underwhelming, and his struggles persist.

Knecht has endured a particularly tough period this season. Earlier in the season, after falling out of the rotation, Knecht was assigned to the G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. At that time, following an explosive debut performance with South Bay, expectations were that Knecht would strive to rejoin the Lakers' rotation. Unfortunately, as the G League playoffs began, Knecht appears to have hit another wall.

Although the South Bay Lakers defeated the San Diego Clippers 122-119 in yesterday's first-round game, Knecht's performance was mediocre. He played as a substitute, logging 21 minutes and contributing only 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting 2-for-8 overall and 0-for-4 from three-point range.

He committed consecutive turnovers leading to opponent fast-break scores and had three ball-handling errors within three minutes. If he can't even perform well in the developmental league, how can he be expected to establish himself in the NBA?

In the four games he played for the South Bay Lakers this season, Knecht averaged 21.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 50.9% and a three-point percentage of 39.1%. Although the sample size is small, Knecht's impressive performances initially suggested he could have a greater impact. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.

Despite his poor performance, South Bay secured the win thanks to notable contributions from Malik Williams (21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals), Drew Timme (21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists), and Kobe Bufkin (20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists). While this is positive for the team, Knecht's value undoubtedly took a hit.

The current situation is unfavorable for Knecht. This season with the Purple and Gold, Knecht averaged 4.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game, shooting 44.6% from the field and 30.4% from three-point range. Given these statistics, falling out of the Lakers' rotation might have been inevitable. However, his struggles in the G League could further damage his reputation.

Before this year's trade deadline, the Lakers were actively trying to trade this 24-year-old player. Although he was included in several trade proposals, it became clear that other teams were unwilling to part with valuable assets to acquire him.

Last season, when Knecht was still viewed as a talented rookie, the Lakers nearly succeeded in trading him for Mark Williams, but the deal was canceled due to Williams' failed physical examination. Now, from any perspective, Knecht's trade value is considered to be zero.

Considering his total salary of $10.6 million over the next two years after this season concludes, Knecht likely holds little value as a trade asset.

Additionally, the Lakers hold a team option for the remaining two years of Knecht's contract. If the Purple and Gold choose to exercise this option, the 24-year-old would find himself back on the team roster. Unfortunately, given his past performance, it seems more likely the Lakers will not exercise the option, effectively making him a free agent.

While the free agent market presents its own challenges, Knecht might benefit from testing it. By exploring opportunities with a rebuilding team, Knecht could potentially re-establish himself as a reliable rotation player.

Regardless, Knecht has fallen to such a state that the Lakers truly cannot keep him. This season, Knecht's highest scoring game was 16 points; last season, his peak was 37 points. Perhaps, the rising star has indeed fallen. Perhaps, he will blossom anew with another team.

But as early as this summer, the Lakers will likely have to say goodbye to him.