The Los Angeles Lakers have traded for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Lakers paid a hefty price to get Williams: Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a first-round swap in 2030 and an unprotected first-round pick in 2031. The deal fills a major hole for the Lakers, who sent away their starting center and franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis in this weekend’s blockbuster Luka Doncic trade. 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 for Doncic.
The center position has been a problem for the Lakers all season. While Davis played the position admirably while in purple and gold, the Lakers have struggled to cultivate any depth at the position. When Davis thought he would be remaining in Los Angeles, he publicly lobbied 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 created a dire need for more size in Los Angeles. Davis was the best big man the Lakers had and the foundation of their entire defense. If the Lakers were going to get any stops with a foundation of Doncic and LeBron James, they had to start by shoring up the middle of their defense. During Doncic’s introductory press conference, 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.
Williams brings all three to the table. An incredibly athletic seven-footer who can both move and protect the rim defensively, Williams is the prototypical big man for a Doncic team. He joins the Lakers on a rookie deal, allowing the Lakers to keep most of their bigger salaries to either use as depth or redirect in further trades. An underrated trait Williams brings to the table is his passing. He is averaging 2.5 assists this season and should give the Lakers an extra dose of playmaking out of the short roll.
Charlotte, meanwhile, has amassed 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 Heat thanks to the Terry Rozier deal. With Knecht factored in as well, the Hornets are stockpiling young assets.
But centers like Williams are rare, especially at his age and cap number. The Lakers didn’t have many options to land someone on the fly who fits so well with their roster. They did so here, and it’s going to help them make a real push to contend this season.
