What happened: The Los Angeles Lakers have continued making trade calls to move Dalton Knecht rather than waive him outright, holding discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Utah Jazz, per Siegel. Milwaukee was not receptive to a framework centered on a single second-round pick.

Why it matters: Los Angeles is working through a roster crunch ahead of Monday's cutdown deadline before the 2026-27 season tips off on Tuesday. Previous exploratory talks between the Lakers and Bucks had also weighed a swap involving Knecht as franchises with excess guaranteed contracts decide between consolidation deals and formal waivers.

What to watch: Los Angeles has until Monday's roster deadline to finalize a trade with Chicago, Utah, Milwaukee, or another suitor before deciding whether to waive Knecht.