Dalton Knecht is all over the internet now! But made him ‘Champion’ overnight? The Los Angeles Lakers rookie just won the Rising Stars tournament with Team C while Chris Mullin guided him. The All-Star game is next, and Dalton will go up against someone very close to him. However, the young Lakers’ star didn’t know he’d won more than just a chance to play in the All-Star game. And his reactions?

The winners of this year’s NBA Rising Stars game received ‘prize money’. But isn’t this basic to get a prize if you put your body on the line? Well, you might know, but not the star himself. But it feels like Dalton missed the memo. He was genuinely surprised when a media member informed him of his winnings.

“We won $35k?” he asked in disbelief. “I don’t know about the deal,” Knecht added. Dalton was impressive in the championship game, getting a pivotal steal that sealed his team’s victory. But the young talent didn’t know this was waiting for him. Trust us, he deserved every cent of it.

But the job is not yet done. He is aware of the challenge that faces him this week in the All-Star game. After all, Team C faces Shaq’s team in the first round. And on their roster is one of the best players ever and Dalton’s teammate, LeBron James. Dalton knows that making a splash against them will do wonders for his NBA career. He isn’t losing much sleep over it and seems excited about it.

“So, I get to play against one of my teammates [LeBron]. It’ll be a lot of fun just to go out there and try to make a statement.” He also agreed that playing against one of the ‘OGs’ in LeBron adds to his motivation. “Of course, I’m a competitor. So of course, I’m gonna try to go at them.”

Dalton has a great mindset for someone so young. Especially considering the chaotic whirlwind he was thrust into following the disastrous Mark Williams transfer. But he isn’t out of the woods just yet.

Speculations of a resurrected trade for Mark Williams cast doubt over Dalton Knecht’s future with the Lakers

Mark Williams’ rescinded trade to the Lakers came as a shock to us all. But now, just over a week following the NBA’s trade deadline, it appears that the Charlotte Hornets are trying to breathe life back into this deal. Even if it’s a long shot. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. This is because if it happens, the trade for Mark Williams to the Lakers wouldn’t be a new deal. Rather, it’s the same deal reversed.

“They’re [Hornets] going to try to reverse it again. They’re not satisfied with the Lakers’ explanation of Mark Williams failing the physical,” revealed ESPN’s David McMenamin. What does this mean for Dalton Knecht? Well, he was a part of the original deal between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets. So if this trade does end up going through, he will have to pack his bags once again and leave for Charlotte. But it is not over until it is over.

However, ESPN’s Bobby Marks says there is a “99.9% chance” that this trade doesn’t happen. But it still has the potential to add a new rule to the NBA. This rule would allow teams to add or remove draft picks if new information about the players involved in the trade comes to light. In this case, the Lakers might retain the pick they included in the deal. Or Charlotte adding a second-round draft pick to the deal alongside Williams.

However, with no such rule yet, and the infinitesimal chances of this trade rescission being reversed, we don’t see Dalton Knecht leaving the Lakers anytime soon. Meanwhile, the young Knecht will want to show why it’s a mistake to trade him as he faces the ‘King’ in the first round of the All-Star game!