Now that rookie Dalton Knecht will remain with the Lakers for the rest of this season, he said he wants to do one thing as Luka Doncic's teammate.

Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht he is happy to be back with the organization after rejoining the team following a failed trade with the Hornets.

The rookie, who was part of the deal with Charlotte that was rescinded a few days later, says he is happy to be back, “doing what I love to do, going out there and playing.”

Knecht, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, was initially traded to the Hornets on Feb. 5 along with Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and the Lakers' 2031 first-round pick in exchange for Hornets big man Mark Williams .

With major changes shaking up the roster, the Lakers are entering a new era—can they turn all this momentum into a championship push?

SALT LAKE CITY — Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht said “it felt like a movie” after being traded to the Charlotte Hornets and then back to the Lakers after Los Angeles rescinded the trade three days later over a failed physical by Hornets center Mark Williams.

In the span of a week, Dalton Knecht went from playing for the Lakers, joining the Hornets, and finally returning to Los Angeles.

Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s loss to Utah for the first time since he was traded from the Lakers to the Hornets and then sent back to the Lakers when they decided to void the deal, Dalton Knecht said it was a “crazy” few days,