The Lakers listed forward Dalton Knecht as day-to-day with an illness on Monday afternoon. His expected return date is Oct. 21, the day of the Lakers' game against the Warriors.
What happened
Dalton Knecht, a 25-year-old forward, appeared on the Lakers' injury report as day-to-day on Monday, Oct. 19, at 3:55 p.m. ET. The listed reason is illness, categorized as other. No previous status is attached to this entry. He had been cleared from day-to-day on Wednesday, Oct. 14, after first being listed as day-to-day on Thursday, Oct. 8, with an undisclosed issue. The report's comment notes that Knecht recorded zero points (0-2 FG, 0-2 3Pt) and one rebound across six minutes in Tuesday's preseason matchup against Golden State. The report gives an expected return date of Oct. 21.
What it means for the Lakers
The Lakers open the 2026-27 season at 0-0, and their next game is against the Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. That is the date of Knecht's expected return. Last season he played 54 games and averaged 10.2 minutes, 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists. If he cannot go, the minutes fall to the established rotation. Luka Doncic averaged 35.8 minutes and 33.5 points in games without him, followed by Austin Reaves at 34.5 minutes and LeBron James at 33.2. Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard each played between 23.0 and 28.5 minutes. There are no regular-season games yet, so no with-and-without record exists.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Knecht's status changes before Wednesday's game against the Warriors. The expected return date is Oct. 21, but his availability for that game has not been announced. He is not the only Laker on the report. Bronny James is day-to-day with an illness, and Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr are day-to-day with undisclosed issues. Collin Sexton is day-to-day with a right lower leg issue. The Warriors game on Oct. 21 is the first on the schedule.
Is Dalton Knecht playing vs the Warriors on Oct. 21?
Not announced. Knecht is day-to-day with an illness, and his expected return date is Oct. 21, the day of the game. The Lakers' next injury report should clarify his status.
When will Dalton Knecht be back?
The injury report lists an expected return of Oct. 21. The Lakers face the Warriors that night at 10:00 p.m. ET. No further timeline has been announced.