SALT LAKE CITY — Dalton Knecht found himself in one of the most awkward NBA situations, playing for the Lakers again after being dealt to Charlotte in a trade that ultimately was rescinded.
“It was a crazy time,” Knecht said. “Not too many people have done that, come back [after being traded]. But at the end of the day, I just wanted to hoop.”
Knecht got that chance Wednesday night, scoring 10 points in the Lakers’ 131-119 loss in Utah. He hadn’t played since Feb. 4 against the Clippers. Then the Lakers packaged him in a trade for Hornets center Mark Williams before the deadline, general manager Rob Pelinka stopping the rookie midway through a shooting routine at the team’s facility to deliver him the news and send him on this whirlwind.
“It felt like a movie. After that [Clippers] game, I came back the next day and went to go get some shots up in the gym … and Rob called me up there and told me the news. It was hard,” Knecht said. “I got drafted here, so L.A. means a lot. So, hearing that and then I go to Charlotte in the morning with one of my guys and get introduced and start meeting all those people and then fly out to Detroit to what was called my ‘debut game,’ to then, now I’m flying back to L.A.”
Coach JJ Redick praised Knecht and said the organization no longer is thinking about the rescinded trade.
“His spirit was good. I thought he played well,” Redick said. “We’re not gonna talk about it anymore. We’ve talked about it. He’s in a good spot. We’re good.”
Charlotte reportedly has considered ways to protest the Lakers’ decision to fail Williams in his physical, which led to the trade being rescinded.
“I had no clue, to be honest,” Knecht said when asked about a possible protest. “I’m just doing what I love to do, going out there and playing. And like I said, whatever happens, happens.”
Knecht, who will be at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco to participate in the Rising Stars game Friday, said it was good being back in the Lakers locker room.
“Every single one of them came up and pretty much hugged me and said, ‘What’s good?’ They said, ‘Welcome back.’ And then obviously tonight, they said, ‘It’s your debut game again,’ ” he said with a chuckle. “So at the end of the day, it’s just a business. I get where Rob and JJ were going. So, at the end of the day, it’s just going out there and doing my job and playing basketball and doing what I love to do.”
