The Miami Heat are in need of three-point shooting, shot creation, and upside along the wings. They depleted their resources to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. from the Milwaukee Bucks and are in danger of having to scrape the bottom of the free agency barrel to replace them. Thankfully, there could be an affordable option with upside to tap into: Los Angeles Lakers wing Dalton Knecht.
Knecht experienced a stunning fall from promising rookie to discarded second-year player and could now be available to Miami if they pursue a potential trade.
Los Angeles currently has 16 players on its roster, a small surplus of wings competing for a scarce few roles, and a well-documented interest in completing a sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga. Knecht has become a heavy favorite to depart and thus clear space for Kuminga to join the roster.
With a $4,201,080 salary and a 2027-28 team option, Knecht has a team-friendly contract that could be attached to draft capital in a potential sign-and-trade for Kuminga.
That's where Miami could play a part in facilitating Kuminga's potential move to Los Angeles. If they're willing to take back Knecht, then they could add wing depth, introduce a new element to their offense, and at least give themselves a chance to develop someone new in a thin rotation.
Knecht has fallen out of favor in Los Angeles and may not ultimately be the player Miami needs, but he's talented enough for the Heat to take a chance.
Dalton Knecht is a low-risk trade target with offensive upside
Knecht played just 10.2 minutes per game during the 2025-26 season, appearing in 54 of the Lakers' 82 games. He showed clear signs of promise as a rookie in 2024-25, however, thriving as a shot creator and three-point shooter.
Knecht played 19.2 minutes per game in 2024-25 and finished his rookie season with averages that translated to 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 3.1 three-point field goals made on .461/.376/.762 shooting.
For as poor as he's been on defense, Knecht's ability to score with volume and efficiency is unavoidably intriguing. Perhaps he's lost his touch after all, but with a club option for 2027-28, the Heat could take a chance on his offensive upside without risking anything beyond this season.
If Knecht shoots and creates with the same volume and efficiency as he displayed in 2024-25, the Heat would instantly improve their efforts to generate offense around an interior-based star pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Dalton Knecht could excel next to defensive-minded teammates
For what it's worth: The only current Heat wings who averaged at least 17.0 points per 36 minutes in 2025-26 are Simone Fontecchio, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Andrew Wiggins. That certainly leaves space for Knecht to be able to secure minutes and prove whether or not his offensive arsenal can be better highlighted on a defensive-minded team.
Keep in mind: While Los Angeles had been building around offensive-minded stars with known defensive limitations, Miami has top-tier defenders at multiple positions.
That should create a more inviting environment for Knecht to thrive within. His defensive limitations must still be acknowledged, but hiding his flaws will be far easier next to the likes of Adebayo, Antetokounmpo, Davion Mitchell, and Andrew Wiggins than it was with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves on the court.
There's no guaranteeing that Knecht would excel in Miami, but he's a talented scorer and shooter with a low-cost contract. The Heat should at least kick the tires on a deal.
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