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Dave Mcmenamin
Salt Lake City – In the period of one week, Dalton Knecht went from playing for the Los Angeles Lakers to join the Charlotte Hornets to return to the Lakers after the exchange that sent him to Charlotte was rescued.
Using purple and gold again in the defeat 131-119 of Los Angeles against Utah Jazz on Wednesday, Knecht was publicly reflected in chaotic circumstances for the first time.
“It was a crazy moment,” Knecht said after scoring 10 points in 17 minutes against jazz. “He felt like a movie.”
Knecht said he was at the Lakers practice center on February 5 through his normal routine before his shooting drills, needing to make 25 shots from the foul line, when he was interrupted after his twenty -free kick.
Rob Pelinka, Vice President of Lakers basketball operations and general manager, wanted to see Knecht in his office. Knecht was informed that he was changed, along with Cam Reddish, a 2030 selection exchange and the 2031 first round of the Lakers, to Charlotte for the 7 feet center Mark Williams.
“It was difficult,” Knecht said. “They selected me here, so it means a lot.”
Knecht flew from the A Charlotte on Thursday aboard with his new team. Then he flew from Charlotte to Detroit on Saturday, anticipating his first game with the hornets that come against the Pistons on Sunday.
Once in Detroit, he heard from Pelinka again. The exchange was off.
“Rob called me and said: ‘You’ll return,” Knecht said. “I was excited to leave and ring, no matter where it was going.”
Knecht flew from Detroit back to Los Angeles on Sunday and met with Pelinka and coach JJ Redick on Monday.
“I just want to go to Aro. I told JJ and Rob,” Knecht said. “I understand that it is a business, so at the end of the day, I told them: ‘We are going to play basketball.”
Knecht was on the bench with street clothes on Monday for the victory of the Lakers 132-113 over jazz in Los Angeles, with a plan for him to play Wednesday in Utah. Meanwhile, the Hornets contacted the NBA to dispute the failed physical evaluation of Williams Lakers, sources told Shams Charania de ESPN.
When asked about Charlotte’s challenge, Knecht said “I had no idea” about how feasible it would be for the League to intervene to reverse the trade again.
“I’m just doing what I love to do, go out and play,” Knecht said. “Whatever happens, it happens. I will compete with force wherever I go, and I hope it happens, whatever happens, I will go out and compete.”
Knecht said that his teammates of the Lakers welcomed him with hugs and records, and joked saying that he was making his debut again for the franchise that chose him No. 17 in the draft last June.
“This league is a business and trades occur,” said Austin Reaves. “I’ve never seen anything like that. Well tonight.
Redick said now that Knecht was back in the Redile, he had finished addressing the terminated trade.
“I thought his spirit was good,” said Redick. “He played well. We’re not going to talk about it anymore. We have talked about it. It’s in a good place. We’re fine.”
