Lakers’ 6-foot-6 wing gets $4.2 million contract update prior to battle vs. Steph Curry, Warriors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers head into the 2025-26 NBA season with high expectations despite LeBron James’ recent sciatica diagnosis, as Luka Dončić will aim to lead a new-look supporting cast to a championship victory.

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In an effort to supply their 26-year-old phenom with another young, consistent scoring option for the present and future, the Lakers reportedly announced their decision to keep former No. 17 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft around for the 2026-27 season.

“The Lakers have exercised their contract option on Dalton Knecht for next season for $4.2 million, a source confirmed to ESPN,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin shared via X on Tuesday morning.

After initially deciding to ship their former first-round draft pick away and subsequently taking him back due to an unfathomable trade blunder with the Charlotte Hornets at last season’s trade deadline, Los Angeles’ general manager Rob Pelinka chose to exercise Dalton Knecht’s $4.2 million option for next year.

Though his rookie season was undoubtedly affected by the news, the 24-year-old still managed to contribute 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds while knocking down 37.6% of his 4.4 attempts from three-point range in 2024-25.

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As his sophomore campaign quickly approaches, Knecht will have an opportunity to prove that he’s worthy of keeping around and not just an attractive trade asset that Pelinka can look to use in an effort to reel in a bigger fish.

Knecht’s first chance to accomplish this goal will come during Los Angeles’ season-opener against 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, and it’s plausible that a hot shooting stretch and a few respectable defensive possessions against the Warriors’ vaunted offensive system could lead to good things for the score-first wing.

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