The Los Angeles Lakers have embarked on a new chapter under first-time head coach JJ Redick, while LeBron James continues to make history alongside his son Bronny. But amid the preseason action, Lakers insider Jovan Buha has highlighted two young players who have quickly proven themselves indispensable: rookie Dalton Knecht and third-year guard Max Christie.
When asked about the possibility of trading Knecht or Christie if the Lakers were contending near the trade deadline, Buha was firm in his response. “This is an interesting one,” Buha said. “Honestly, if the Lakers are top four in the West, I don’t know if I’d mess with it.”
“It would have to be a no-brainer to trade either one of those guys,” he continued. “I look at Austin [Reaves] as a guy with a very high threshold for the team to trade, and I think the same will likely apply to Max and Dalton.”
Buha went on to explain that any trade involving either young player would need to bring back a significant upgrade. “It’s going to have to be one of those blockbuster deals where the Lakers can package someone like Jarred Vanderbilt or Gabe Vincent, plus one of the young guys and a couple of picks, to secure a clear upgrade,” Buha concluded, mentioning Michael Porter Jr. and Mikal Bridges as potential trade targets.
Chris Livingston #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a preseason game. Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Though still early in their careers, Knecht and Christie have earned their spots on the roster, with Redick clearly seeing their future potential. Even though Christie is entering his third season and Knecht is a rookie, Redick seems intent on developing them into key contributors for the Lakers.
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JJ Redick’s high praise for Knecht
Redick hasn’t shied away from praising Knecht, especially after recent practices. “He’s been fantastic. He’s got a heater,” Redick told the media. “I told him after practice, his level of compete today was really high.”
Redick also highlighted Knecht’s resilience, saying, “He didn’t get down on himself about missing shots. He stayed engaged, and it really showed during the conditioning drills where he was challenged to be the rabbit—his competitive nature came out.”
Knecht also revealed how LeBron James has been encouraging him throughout preseason. “When I was on the sidelines, Bron was telling me to just keep shooting. He doesn’t care what I shoot. Same with JJ, they said they don’t care what I shoot, just to keep letting them fly,” Knecht shared after a preseason win over the Milwaukee Bucks. “I know that’s my best skill, so having that confidence from them is great.”
