Dalton Knecht waived by Lakers: Why the 2024 draft class was doomed from the start (and the No. 1 pick)

Four lottery picks have already been traded and Knecht is now off the roster a day before the 2026-27 season begins The 2023 NBA Draft featured Victor Wembanyama, who many already consider the best player in the world. The 2025 Draft had an epic tank battle to "Capture the Flagg" in order to secure Cooper Flagg. And of course, the 2026 Draft — despite none of the players playing a single regular-season minute yet — has the potential to go down as one of the greatest classes in NBA history. Between those draft classes, you have the 2024 Draft. In the months leading up to the event, it was, at least on paper, viewed as an underwhelming class compared with previous years and the drafts to follow.

It lacked both consensus and blue-chip talent, unlike the top of the 2023, 2025, and 2026 classes. Through the first two seasons, the data doesn't lie. Four lottery picks from the class have already been traded, including No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Kel'el Ware and Jared McCain, the No. 15 and 16 picks in the draft, respectively, were also traded, albeit for different reasons. And Dalton Knecht, who showed promise during his lone season at Tennessee in 2023-24 as a potential draft riser, was waived by the Lakers on Monday, according to