Dalton Knecht’s rookie season? A smooth ride? Please. Not even close. The Lakers guard just went through one of the wildest trade sagas imaginable—getting shipped off to the Hornets, mentally preparing for a fresh start, and then suddenly hearing, ‘Actually, scratch that, you’re coming back.’ It was pure NBA drama, and now that he’s back in L.A., he’s finally talking.

Having gotten some time to reflect, now that the chaos had settled (for the moment), DK couldn’t help but admit that the whole thing was straight-up bizarre!

“Like you said, it’s strange, you know? One of the few people that’s ever got traded and come back, so it’s been a crazy journey, you know. Just glad to be back and be a part of the team.” He’s not wrong. Players don’t usually return to the same team days after getting traded. That’s not how this works. But instead of letting it mess with his head, Knecht is locking in and getting back to work—because at the end of the day, he’s still got a job to do.

And honestly? He’s not exactly mad about how things turned out. “Get to learn from Luka now. You know, I had AD, Braun, now I’m with Luka and Braun, so it’s crazy. You know, I get to learn from a lot of greats.” That’s the best crash course in basketball, ever!

Knecht knows he’s in a special spot, and with his shooting ability, he could end up being a huge asset next to Luka’s insane playmaking.

He already stepped back onto the court against the Jazz, putting up 10 points in 17 minutes. Nothing crazy, but after a week like that, it was a solid showing. And now, with his Rising Stars Game appearance during All-Star Weekend, he has another chance to remind everyone what his capabilities truly are.

Despite it all, the Mark Williams trade mess isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

Dalton Knecht Caught in Hornets’ Relentless Push to Revive Mark Williams Trade

The Mark Williams trade issues persist regardless of Knecht trying to move past them. The trade consequences forced him to leave immediately to fly to Charlotte, where he joined the Hornets for a road trip to Detroit before he would make his debut with the team. Unexpectedly, he receives a call that prompts him to drive back to Los Angeles immediately. The travel logistics create a nightmare situation that also brings chaos for his emotions. But instead of dwelling on it, Knecht kept it simple: “I just want to go hoop.“

But the Hornets? Oh, they’re not letting this go. They’ve already run to the league, pushing for something—maybe punishment, maybe compensation, maybe just to make the Lakers sweat. And if that wasn’t enough, the media won’t let it go either.

Every time he steps on the court, someone asks about the trade. Every headline seems to loop back to the same story. And with the Hornets still fighting the Lakers over voiding the deal, the situation is far from settled. Until this arbitration battle ends, Knecht’s name will keep coming up.

And now, adding to the growing concerns, there’s this growing buzz that the Purple & Gold might actually find a way to land Williams anyway, thanks to an NBA loophole. Yeah, you heard that right. Because he’s still on his rookie contract, the usual luxury tax restrictions wouldn’t apply if the Hornets waive him—making him fair game for LA. After everything Knecht just went through, there’s still a chance he could be right back in trade talks. Imagine going through all that chaos, finally settling in, and then you might be on the move again.

Would the Lakers actually go for it? Would they actually double down and try to pull off another deal for Williams? And if they do, man … Knecht might have to relive this entire nightmare all over again.