The New York Knicks have signed Dalton Knecht to a two-way contract, giving the former Los Angeles Lakers draft pick another opportunity in the NBA, sources confirmed Friday. The 25-year-old wing player replaces Kevin McCullar Jr., who was waived after two seasons with the Knicks. Knecht, standing 6-foot-6, is not expected to play a major role immediately under head coach Mike Brown but provides additional shooting depth, particularly if the team encounters injuries. Knicks officials see Knecht’s potential as higher than that of McCullar, who appeared in just 25 games since being selected 56th overall in the 2024 draft.
Knecht’s time with the Lakers began with promise following his selection in the first round of the 2024 draft but gradually declined due to struggles with defensive assignments and his ability to create shots off the dribble. He posted a 37 percent three-point shooting rate but failed to secure a consistent role, leading to his release this week. His rookie season showed flashes of potential, including a 37-point performance during the NBA Cup and an appearance in the Rising Stars Challenge. However, his career momentum faltered in February 2025 after the Lakers agreed to trade him to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams. That trade was rescinded when Williams did not pass his physical, leaving Knecht back with the Lakers in a reduced role as a backup behind Luka Doncic. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the team’s evolving needs and roster changes contributed to Knecht’s transition.
“The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed,” Redick remarked before Knecht’s release. “I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had.”
Separately, Josh Hart’s podcast, which he co-hosts with Jalen Brunson, recently announced a partnership with Polymarket, a platform involved in gambling markets. The deal has drawn attention amid ongoing debates about gambling’s role in professional basketball. Hart publicly stated he has stopped gambling and does not endorse it, also noting limited involvement in sponsorship negotiations.
“I don’t wanna say we know nothing, but we don’t know much about all that stuff,” Hart said. “In terms of, I know they sit there and talk about, it’s trading; it’s not gambling. Me personally, I don’t really endorse much of the gambling stuff. I don’t gamble anymore. But last year, we had BetMGM, I think it was. When it’s the pod and that, I kind of play ball a little bit because there’s other people depending on that, but yeah, I don’t really know too much around the controversy of it or whatever.”