The Lakers are on the verge of making a costly mistake similar to the Ivica Zubac trade, a decision that still haunts them.
In February 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers made one of the most puzzling trades in recent NBA history. Despite showing clear progress in his third season, center Ivica Zubac was dealt to the LA Clippers in exchange for Mike Muscala—a player the Lakers moved on from after just 17 games.
Ironically, Zubac has since developed into one of the league’s top centers, earning All-Defensive honors in the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, the Lakers are still trying to fill the void he left behind.
Six years later, Los Angeles still hasn’t managed to build reliable depth at the center spot. That issue became especially clear in the 2024-25 season, when a failed attempt to acquire Mark Williams left the team without a true starting-quality player at the position.
Their only somewhat dependable option was Jaxson Hayes, who saw just 7.8 minutes per game during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
To be fair, the Lakers have had success in the post-Zubac era, winning a title in 2020 and making it to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. Still, their ongoing difficulty in finding Zubac’s replacement has become a prime example of the risks involved in giving up on promising young players still on rookie deals.
If the Lakers aren’t cautious, they risk making the same error they did with Zubac by moving on too quickly from another rising talent: Dalton Knecht.
Could Dalton Knecht be the Lakers’ next Ivica Zubac?
Los Angeles came close to sending Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets in the proposed Mark Williams trade, which ultimately fell through due to a failed physical. Now, as the Lakers look to address their need for a center in the 2025 offseason, rumors are once again swirling that Knecht could be used as a trade piece in that pursuit.
Ironically, moving Knecht might tie directly into the team’s ongoing struggle to find a suitable replacement for Zubac.
But Knecht isn’t just another typical rookie-scale player the Lakers can part with casually. He’s one of the most gifted and productive rookies from the 2024-25 class, quickly showcasing NBA-ready abilities that can make an immediate impact in Los Angeles.
About the Author
