Talks between the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks on a Dalton Knecht-for-Jericho Sims trade fell apart over draft compensation, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Fischer reported that Milwaukee insisted on receiving two second-round picks in the deal, and the Lakers were only willing to part with one.
The Lakers waived Knecht on Oct. 19, and he has since agreed to a two-way contract with the New York Knicks.
Fischer first reported the talks on Oct. 15. He described “exploratory trade discussions on a framework that would ship former first-round selection Dalton Knecht to Milwaukee (along with second-round draft capital) in exchange for big man Jericho Sims,” and said he had heard pessimism from sources briefed on the talks that a deal would get done. He also noted that the Lakers might be forced to waive Knecht if they could not trade him.
Knecht was guaranteed $4.2 million this season, which the Lakers absorb by releasing him. He averaged 9.1 points in 78 games as a rookie in 2024-25 and shot 37.6% from three. In 2025-26 he averaged 4.2 points in 10.2 minutes across 54 games.
On Oct. 23, his agents at Excel Sports Management told ESPN‘s Shams Charania that he had agreed to the two-way deal with New York.
The Lakers are 2-0. Walker Kessler went 12 for 12 in his debut against Golden State, then had 22 points and six blocks in a 125-117 win over the Clippers on Oct. 23. Sims remains with Milwaukee.
The Lakers Valued a Second-Round Pick Over a Backup Big
The talks came down to one pick, and the Lakers’ answer shows how they are pricing their remaining draft assets. They had already paid for their center: Kessler arrived in a July sign-and-trade that, per Spotrac, cost two first-round picks and two swaps.
Second-round picks, such as the 2031 and 2032 seconds Los Angeles added from Washington in the July 7 Deandre Ayton trade, are now among the few trade chips the Lakers have left. Instead of adding one more of them, the team paid Knecht’s guarantee to waive him and went without a second vertical big.
Behind Kessler, that leaves Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili, and neither plays the lob-finishing role Sims would have filled.
The Feb. 11 Trade Deadline Is the Next Window
The 2026-27 trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. Eastern. It is the next point at which the Lakers can decide whether a backup center is worth spending the picks they held onto. No reporting indicates that talks for Sims or any other center have resumed.
Sources: Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Shams Charania of ESPN
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