The Lakers abruptly cut Dalton Knecht on Monday before the start of his third season with the team. Despite a strong rookie season, Knecht failed to establish himself in the rotation last season and now finds himself looking for a new NBA home. If he doesn't reach a new level, Pistons guard Chaz Lanier could meet the same fate in a year as Detroit builds a contending roster.
Lanier has even less leeway than Knecht
Unlike Knecht, Lanier doesn't even have the pedigree of being a former first-round pick or a solid rookie campaign. During his first year, Knecht played in 78 games and averaged 9 points per game while shooting a promising 38% from three. In comparison, Lanier appeared just 34 times for the Pistons last season and only averaged 2.4 points per game while hitting 28% of his threes.
The Pistons have proven willing to part ways with more talented guards than Lanier if they don't fit the roster. Lanier's struggles as a defender make it hard for him to earn consistent playing time on a Detroit team whose defensive identity comes first. His shooting struggles on top of that have made him practically unplayable at the NBA level so far.
It was a surprise to see Knecht get cut so suddenly, but it didn't come out of nowhere. The Lakers are retooling for title ambitions around Luka Doncic this offseason, and Knecht didn't fit that vision after LA's other wing pickups. The Pistons also have plenty of new faces to provide more shooting on the wings, which makes Lanier's spot even more precarious.
The Pistons could move on from Lanier soon
Lanier was initially drafted in 2025 as a second-round pick to bring in more shooting. He was just coming off a prolific college career as one of the NCAA's best three-point shooters. But that skillset hasn't translated to the pros yet, largely because Lanier isn't good enough in other traits to warrant significant opportunities.
Shooting is no longer a premium skill in the NBA if a player can't add other value on top of it. Even role players these days need to have driving capabilities against a closeout or good decision-making to keep an offense flowing if they're run off the line. Being a one-dimensional shooter isn't a guaranteed roster spot like it might have been 10 years ago.
Hopefully, Lanier has been improving the other parts of his game. That could be the only way to spare himself from an unceremonious departure next year when the Pistons take a long hard look at their roster. Knecht proved that no one is safe if they don't produce, and Lanier could become another victim earlier than expected.
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