Three-point shooting percentage at 20.6%! Is the best move for Knect to switch teams? Lakers may face significant losses

On October 16th Beijing time, well-known Lakers reporter Buha talked about Knect on his podcast. Up to now in the preseason, Knect’s shooting accuracy stands at 30.4%, and his three-point shooting is just 20.6%, reflecting a disappointing performance. Several fans have begun to doubt this young talent.

“I understand the fans’ frustration, Knect’s performance has indeed been underwhelming,” said Buha. “Although the sample size for his three-point shooting is relatively small, the timeframe is long enough. From February this year until now, covering regular season, summer league, and preseason, the problem has been persistent.”

“I hesitate to speculate on the exact reasons for his poor performance, but it’s undeniable that the experience of being traded and the trash talk from Draymond may have affected him. Once such a label forms, opponents might use similar remarks to disrupt him, which is a significant psychological challenge. Mark Williams was quickly traded to the Suns and didn’t have to endure this pressure long-term, whereas Knect remains in the same environment, making his situation tougher.”

Buha admitted that for Knect, the best option at this stage might be to ‘start fresh with a new team.’For example, joining a small-market team like the Hornets, where he can play as a backup scorer in a low-pressure, low-expectation setting—whether in the Southeast Division, Central Division, or teams like Portland or Utah—could allow him to ‘cool off’ and break free from the current negative cycle.

However,Buha also pointed out that the reality is trading Knect would cause considerable losses for the Lakers.“His trade value has dropped significantly. To move him, the Lakers might need to include additional assets; plus, his salary is relatively low, making it hard to acquire impactful players in return. At best, they could get a rookie-level contract player, and other teams are unlikely to give up current players for Knect unless extra benefits are involved.”

Judging solely by preseason form, Knect is undoubtedly on a ‘downward trend.’ Although he occasionally shows promise in rebounding and playmaking, and his shot selection has slightly improved, Buha mentioned he hasn’t observed good fit between Knect and the team.

Looking ahead, the Lakers face a real question: will they exercise Knect’s third-year contract option? Will the Lakers hesitate?

Regarding this issue, Buha said the Lakers might indeed hesitate. From an outsider’s perspective, ‘not picking up the third-year option’ is almost like a ‘death sentence’ for the player—this effectively signals that the team no longer trusts him, and whether traded or released to free agency afterward, it damages the player’s image.

More importantly, this directly impacts Knect’s trade value: on one hand, the ‘lack of trust from the original team’ label reduces interest from other teams; on the other hand, if Knect enters free agency early, the acquiring team cannot lock him into a long-term deal via a team option, further lowering trade appeal.

Therefore, from the perspective of ‘protecting the player’s image’ and ‘preserving trade value,’ the Lakers will most likely exercise Knect’s third-year option to maintain the ‘team-friendly contract’ status.

If judged purely by ‘performance and skill fit,’ Knect may not be worth this contract. Butfor the Lakers, the rational choice is to ‘exercise the option’ while hoping Knect’s future performance improves to boost his trade value.