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The 2026 NBA offseason showcase begins July 3 with the California Classic tipping off in San Francisco and Sacramento, one day ahead of the Salt Lake City Summer League and six ahead of the main event in Las Vegas.
Tennessee basketball will be well represented across the rosters this summer, with seven players across five different teams. But one of the program's most recognizable names in the league won't be on the floor. Lakers wing Dalton Knecht was not named to Los Angeles' summer league roster, a quiet signal that his time with the Lakers could be running out.
The Lakers released their California Classic and Las Vegas roster last week, headlined by 24th overall pick Cameron Carr. Knecht's name wasn't on it.
It's not unusual for a player entering year three to sit out of summer league, but the timing is puzzling for Knecht. His role already shrank in year two, and the Lakers are now overhauling their roster around Luka Doncic, with LeBron James set to depart. They've stacked the roster with players who fit the same slot Knecht would occupy.
Knecht didn't shed much light on his situation this summer. Ahead of his basketball camp at UT, he told reporters he didn't want to talk about the Lakers.
Carr, oddly enough, was a freshman on that same Tennessee roster during Knecht's SEC Player of the Year season, before transferring to Baylor. When the Lakers acquired him on draft night, he was seen as the kind of depth that could push Knecht further out of the picture.
The Lakers took Knecht 17th overall out of Tennessee in 2024, and he delivered a rookie season that outpaced his draft pick. He averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes across 78 games, including 16 starts, shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from three. That season came with its own turbulence: the Lakers nearly traded him to Charlotte at the deadline before the deal collapsed when Mark Williams failed his physical.
That version of Knecht never fully showed up again. He played 54 games in the 2025-26 season, but started just one, watching his minutes get cut roughly in half, from 19.2 to 10.2 per game, while his scoring dropped to 4.2 points on 45.5% shooting.
Knecht is still locked into the Lakers financially, at least for now. They already exercised his $4.2 million team option for the 2026-27 season back in October, and he still carries a roughly $6.5 million option for 2027-28.
Still, the Lakers made their intentions clear before February's trade deadline, when it was reported that they shopped Knecht without finding a taker. The expectation is they'll try again this summer, and Carr's presence only sharpens that timeline.
Seven former Tennessee players are on NBA summer league rosters this month, with three players on San Antonio's roster. Here's who, and where to catch them first.
Nate Ament, Milwaukee Bucks: Drafted No. 13 overall in the 2026 draft (via Miami). Not on the Bucks' California Classic roster; expected to debut once Las Vegas Summer League opens July 9, pending the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade becoming official on July 6.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, San Antonio Spurs: Drafted No. 42 overall in the 2026 draft. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center in San Francisco, 8 p.m. ET.
Chaz Lanier, Detroit Pistons: Drafted No. 37 overall in the 2025 draft. Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Philadelphia at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, 5:30 p.m. ET.
Jahmai Mashack, Memphis Grizzlies: Drafted No. 59 overall in the 2025 draft (via Houston). Opens Salt Lake City Summer League on July 4 against Oklahoma City at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, 3 p.m. ET.
Igor Miličić Jr., San Antonio Spurs: Signed as an undrafted free agent invite after a stint with the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center, 8 p.m. ET.
Felix Okpara, Washington Wizards: Drafted No. 46 overall in the 2026 draft (via Orlando). Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Utah at Thomas & Mack Center, 9 p.m. ET.
Zakai Zeigler, San Antonio Spurs: Signed as an undrafted free agent invite after a season playing professionally in France. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center, 8 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dalton Knecht off Lakers' summer roster; every former Vol playing in NBA Summer League
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Tennessee basketball will be well represented across the rosters this summer, with seven players across five different teams. But one of the program's most recognizable names in the league won't be on the floor. Lakers wing Dalton Knecht was not named to Los Angeles' summer league roster, a quiet signal that his time with the Lakers could be running out.
What Lakers’ summer roster says about Knecht’s future
The Lakers released their California Classic and Las Vegas roster last week, headlined by 24th overall pick Cameron Carr. Knecht's name wasn't on it.
It's not unusual for a player entering year three to sit out of summer league, but the timing is puzzling for Knecht. His role already shrank in year two, and the Lakers are now overhauling their roster around Luka Doncic, with LeBron James set to depart. They've stacked the roster with players who fit the same slot Knecht would occupy.
Knecht didn't shed much light on his situation this summer. Ahead of his basketball camp at UT, he told reporters he didn't want to talk about the Lakers.
Carr, oddly enough, was a freshman on that same Tennessee roster during Knecht's SEC Player of the Year season, before transferring to Baylor. When the Lakers acquired him on draft night, he was seen as the kind of depth that could push Knecht further out of the picture.
The Lakers took Knecht 17th overall out of Tennessee in 2024, and he delivered a rookie season that outpaced his draft pick. He averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes across 78 games, including 16 starts, shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from three. That season came with its own turbulence: the Lakers nearly traded him to Charlotte at the deadline before the deal collapsed when Mark Williams failed his physical.
That version of Knecht never fully showed up again. He played 54 games in the 2025-26 season, but started just one, watching his minutes get cut roughly in half, from 19.2 to 10.2 per game, while his scoring dropped to 4.2 points on 45.5% shooting.
Knecht is still locked into the Lakers financially, at least for now. They already exercised his $4.2 million team option for the 2026-27 season back in October, and he still carries a roughly $6.5 million option for 2027-28.
Still, the Lakers made their intentions clear before February's trade deadline, when it was reported that they shopped Knecht without finding a taker. The expectation is they'll try again this summer, and Carr's presence only sharpens that timeline.
Vols playing in 2026 NBA Summer League
Seven former Tennessee players are on NBA summer league rosters this month, with three players on San Antonio's roster. Here's who, and where to catch them first.
Nate Ament, Milwaukee Bucks: Drafted No. 13 overall in the 2026 draft (via Miami). Not on the Bucks' California Classic roster; expected to debut once Las Vegas Summer League opens July 9, pending the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade becoming official on July 6.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, San Antonio Spurs: Drafted No. 42 overall in the 2026 draft. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center in San Francisco, 8 p.m. ET.
Chaz Lanier, Detroit Pistons: Drafted No. 37 overall in the 2025 draft. Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Philadelphia at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, 5:30 p.m. ET.
Jahmai Mashack, Memphis Grizzlies: Drafted No. 59 overall in the 2025 draft (via Houston). Opens Salt Lake City Summer League on July 4 against Oklahoma City at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, 3 p.m. ET.
Igor Miličić Jr., San Antonio Spurs: Signed as an undrafted free agent invite after a stint with the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center, 8 p.m. ET.
Felix Okpara, Washington Wizards: Drafted No. 46 overall in the 2026 draft (via Orlando). Opens Las Vegas Summer League on July 9 against Utah at Thomas & Mack Center, 9 p.m. ET.
Zakai Zeigler, San Antonio Spurs: Signed as an undrafted free agent invite after a season playing professionally in France. Opens California Classic play July 3 against Miami at Chase Center, 8 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dalton Knecht off Lakers' summer roster; every former Vol playing in NBA Summer League
Continue reading...
