They have done it again. Three days after the biggest trade in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers got what they needed and traded for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Lakers paid a steep price to acquire Williams: Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a first-round swap in 2030 and an unprotected first-round pick in 2031. The deal fills a gaping hole for the Lakers, who shipped their starting center and franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis, out of town in this weekend’s blockbuster Luka Doncic trade. Davis had been with the organization since 2019. Now, in the 23-year-old Williams, they have found both their immediate replacement for Davis in the starting lineup as well as a long-term running mate to pair alongside Doncic.
The center position has been a major point of concern for the Lakers all season. While Davis played the position at an extremely high level while in the purple and gold, the Lakers struggled to find any depth at the position. When Davis thought he would be remaining in Los Angeles, he publicly requested for the team to add another big man because he prefers to play power forward, which he will seemingly be able to do now that he plays for the Dallas Mavericks.
But acquiring Doncic put the Lakers in between a rock and a hard place creating a dire need for more size in Los Angeles. Davis was the best big man the Lakers had and the anchor of their entire defense. If the Lakers were going to get any stops with a foundation of Doncic and a 40-year-old LeBron James, they had to start by stabilizing the middle of their defense. During Doncic’s introductory press conference on Tuesday, general manager Rob Pelinka cited versatility, mobility and the ability to catch lob passes from Doncic as the traits he was looking for from a replacement for Davis.
Embed from Getty ImagesWilliams brings that triple threat to the equation. An incredibly athletic seven-footer who can both move and protect the rim defensively; Williams fits all the boxes needed for big man on a Doncic-led team. He joins the Lakers on a rookie deal, allowing the Lakers flexibility to keep most of their bigger salaries to either use as depth or redirect in further trades. An underrated asset Williams brings to the table is his passing ability. He is averaging 2.5 assists this season and should give the Lakers an extra dose of playmaking out of the short pick and roll.
Charlotte, meanwhile, has received a nice pool of draft assets in recent years. In addition to these Lakers picks, they also have a first rounder from the Mavericks from last season’s P.J. Washington trade as well as a lottery-protected pick from the Miami Heat thanks to the Terry Rozier deal. With Knecht factored in as well, the Hornets are stockpiling young talent.
But young centers like Williams do not grow on trees, especially at his age and cap number. The Lakers did not have an abundance of options to land someone at the 11th hour who fits seamlessly with their roster. They did so with Williams, and it is going to help them make a real push to contend for a title this season which would be their 18th.
