After trading away Anthony Davis to acquire superstar Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers had a massive hole at center that sorely needed to be filled. General manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office were able to do just that by pulling off a trade for promising but oft-injured big man Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.
The deal was a costly one as the Lakers sent out promising rookie Dalton Knecht and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, along with Cam Reddish and a 2030 pick swap. But the franchise felt it was worth the risk, especially as it was the exact type of big man that Doncic prefers to play with and the Lakers are always a team that appeases its stars.
According to Dan Woike of the L.A. Times, the Lakers spoke with Doncic about the type of center he likes to play with before moving on a deal for Williams:
According to people familiar with the deal not authorized to speak publicly, the Lakers made the move after meeting with Doncic and speaking with him about the kind of center he prefers playing with: an athletic screener and lob threat.
With Doncic now in the purple and gold it only makes sense to build the team around their newest star. Williams is an athletic big and a lob threat who is also a great screen-setter which fits perfectly with Doncic who thrives in pick-and-roll situations. The Lakers always like to keep their stars involved in potential moves and this is no different.
The move for Williams is a risky one, especially with his injury concerns. Williams has only played in 23 games so far this year due to a fracture in his foot, though that injury didn’t require surgery. The big man has also had back issues in the past and played in just 19 games last season.
But the potential of Williams is massive and he has been excellent when he has played this season. He is currently averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks this season and he will only get better by being able to play off of Doncic and LeBron James going forward.
Lakers not concerned with Mark Williams’ injury history
The concerns about Mark Williams’ injury history are very real, but not from the Lakers’ point of view. Back and foot issues, especially for seven-footers, are scary, but the Lakers are confident this is a thing of the past.
A recent report stated that the Lakers believe Williams’ back issues are not concerning. The fracture in his foot didn’t require surgery which is also something a bit more positive as far as injuries go and the Lakers feel they now have one of the league’s most promising big men.
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