The NBA trade deadline is always chaotic, but Dalton Knecht just got hit with the ultimate emotional whiplash. One second, the Lakers rookie was packing his bags for Charlotte—probably wrapping his head around a new team, a new city, a whole new reality. Then, boom—the trade falls apart at the last second, and he’s suddenly back in L.A. like nothing ever happened.

Except, for Knecht, it definitely happened. And it’s a lot to process. The Lakers had agreed to send him to Charlotte as part of a trade for Mark Williams. But then, Williams failed his physical, and just like that, the deal was off. L.A. backed out, Knecht was told he was staying put, and now he’s got to mentally reset after already coming to terms with leaving.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick recognized how difficult the situation was for Dalton Knecht, noting that the rookie needed time to process everything. As a result, Knecht was expected to be out of the rotation for the next game, with plans for him to return against the Jazz on Wednesday.

Yeah, no kidding he needs time. Getting included in trade talks is already rough. But getting traded and then untraded in 48 hours? That’s next-level mental chaos. One second, you’re being shipped out like a trade chip, and the next, you’re told, ‘Just kidding, you’re actually part of our future.’

It’s the ugly side of the NBA. The part where players don’t get a say and just have to roll with whatever happens. Knecht has been through adversity before—going from JUCO to first-round draft pick—but this is a whole different beast. Now, he’s got to lock back in and find his rhythm again. Because whether he likes it or not, he’s still a Laker—for now.

NBA Steps In Amid Dalton Knecht Trade Controversy

But while Knecht was processing all of this, the NBA itself got dragged into the mess. According to Shams Charania, the Charlotte Hornets are not happy and have reached out to the league office to challenge the Lakers’ failed physical assessment of Mark Williams. “The Charlotte Hornets have been in contact with the NBA as they explore options to dispute the Los Angeles Lakers’ failed physical assessment of Mark Williams,” Charania reported.

Basically, this deal was supposed to be a win-win. The Lakers wanted a lob-catching big to pair with Luka Doncic, while the Hornets were getting Knecht, Cam Reddish, and some draft picks. Simple enough, right? Well, not quite. Reports say they flagged multiple issues—but oddly not his back, which was supposedly the biggest concern.

Charlotte, meanwhile, isn’t buying it. Before everything collapsed, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka was completely confident in Williams’ health. “We fully vetted his health stuff… we’re not concerned about those.” But after the physical? Suddenly, they were concerned. So now, the Hornets are fighting back, and the NBA is getting involved. Which means this whole thing might not be over yet.

For Knecht, though, it’s already been a rough ride. He went from thinking he was gone, to staying put, to wondering what this all means for his future. The trade might have technically been about Mark Williams, but Knecht was the one who got emotionally blindsided.

Now, he’s got to shake it off and get back on the court, with his return expected Wednesday. But with the Hornets pushing for a review, this saga is far from over. One thing’s for sure—trades aren’t just about contracts and roster moves. The human side is always the toughest part.