Lakers Fans Demand JJ Redick Trade Away NBA Star After Struggle vs Grizzlies

Another game and another Dalton Knecht play that has fans screaming. The Los Angeles Lakers trailed the Memphis Grizzlies by 16 points in the second quarter but managed to come back and win 114-120. This is the second time in two games that the 24-year-old has received flak from the Purple and Gold faithful.

The Lakers reduced the lead to just one point in the fourth quarter. Knecht would miss two three-pointers with the score being 91-90 in favor of the Grizzlies. But the worst decision of the night was yet to come. With 7:50 left and the Lakers firmly making a comeback, Dalton Knecht gave Santi Aldama a full two-handed shove. He would earn another offensive foul, his second of the game.

That’s why a fan angrily wrote, “Get DALTON KNECHT OFF THE TEAM!!!”

It seemed even the head coach, JJ Redick had enough, as Luka Doncic replaced Knecht. It capped a poor night for the player, who was once considered a steal in the 2024 draft class.

 

Get DALTON KNECHT OFF THE TEAM!!! pic.twitter.com/XGNUVillDz

— Playoff LAL (@PlayoffLAL) January 5, 2026

Knecht played for 13 minutes from the bench and had just 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal on the stat sheet. The shooting was disappointing as the former Tennessee star managed just 1 bucket from 5 attempts and went 1-4 from beyond the arc.

He would finish the night with more turnovers (2) than successful field goals. His regression has become a point of concern since Jake LaRavia is delivering on the promise.

Former Grizzlies draft pick LaRavia scored 26 points for the Lakers. He was all over the Memphis team in the fourth quarter, stealing the ball, grabbing a defensive rebound, assisting, and scoring.

This is what many expected from Dalton Knecht in his second year with the Lakers. But the fans have been voicing a gradual reduction in minutes amid trade rumors.

Lakers Nation makes a plea for Dalton Knecht

Once again, it was Luka Doncic and LeBron James coming to the rescue. The Slovenian had a game-high 36 points, while King James added 26, including 11 in the Lakers’ run in the fourth quarter. Since Dalton Knecht couldn’t provide the support, one netizen shared, “Knecht been nothing but a– while we tryna build momentum.”

Even in the previous encounter against the Grizzlies, Dalton Knecht didn’t inspire confidence. He finished the game with 0 points in 11 minutes and missed both of his 3-pointers. But that was not the highlight. JJ Redick’s reaction to a play involving Dalton Knecht against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday went viral.

In the sequence, Marcus Smart motioned for action, prompting Knecht to go over to the LA Lakers‘ point guard to set a screen. Smart emphatically waved him off while Redick threw up his hands in frustration as Knecht forgot what the play was designed.

After a continuous disaster performance, one fan angrily in all caps wrote, “DALTON KNECHT PLEASE GET THE F—K OFF MY TEAM YOU WAR CRIMINAL”.

The 24-year-old appears to have lost his place in the roster, as JJ Redick has been given reduced minutes this season. In October, Knecht began with 19.2 minutes per game, and this time has decreased since then.

In November, it was 15.5, while there was a drastic drop in December to just 7.8 minutes per game. That’s why another simply wrote, “You can’t name a player worse than Dalton Knecht. It’s crazy.”

One fan was so tired that he summed up the play from the night. “God Knecht you are so awful, hit a fcking open shot. And then a stupid a– offensive foul. Get this kid to South Bay. Tired of watching him.” Back in October, Doric Sam of The Athletic reported that some evaluators labeled Knecht a “negative asset.”

It means the Lakers would likely need to attach additional pieces to make a trade work. As they look to strengthen their position in the West, the Knecht situation adds another issue for the front office to deal with.

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