Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager and frequent target of the team’s fanbase for inaction on the trade market, sat in front of a bank of cameras and told everyone that there was no way to wave a “magic wand” and make the right center appear.
For months, publicly and privately, the Lakers front office had signaled that there wasn’t a center available that fit their price range and their roster needs, needs that only got more obvious once Pelinka dealt Anthony Davis and Max Christie for Luka Doncic.
And Tuesday, as he sat next to Doncic, Pelinka pledged to address that need, while asking for some patience.
But Wednesday night with the NBA’s trade deadline a little more than a half of a day away, a center did appear – though there was hardly any magic involved.
The Lakers acquired 23-year-old 7-foot center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, emptying what most of the little left in their asset arsenal to acquire a talented player with a checkered injury history.
To get Williams, a former first-round pick, the Lakers sent rookie Dalton Knecht, a 2030 first-round pick swap and their 2031 unprotected first-round pick to the Hornets. The team also traded Cam Reddish to Charlotte to create an open roster spot that the Lakers could fill on the buyout market.
The Lakers traded Dalton Knecht, above, and Cam Reddish to Charlotte, along with two draft picks.
(Etienne Laurent / Associated Press)
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. The Lakers got to work on Williams’ medical past, which has limited to a total of 84 games since he was the 15th pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
After criticism centered around not trading the Lakers’ future first round picks, Pelinka used the two available to him to add a perennial 25-year-old All-NBA player in Doncic and a 23-year-old emerging center in Williams, giving the Lakers and 40-year-old LeBron James a credible shot at title contention.
Wednesday’s deal, though, comes with risk.
Williams missed significant time with foot, ankle and back injuries, the back keeping him out for most of last season. According to people familiar with the transaction, the Lakers are satisfied the back problems are no longer an issue and the other injuries have been more bad luck than anything else.
This season, Williams has blossomed on the offensive end. Since moving into the starting lineup on Dec. 13, he’s averaging 17.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 59.7% from the field and 77.4% from the free-throw line.
In a game against Denver and Nikola Jokic on Feb. 1, Williams scored 20 points and had 15 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.
After dealing Davis, the Lakers now have Williams. Jaxson Hayes and small-ball lineups with Jared Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith as options available to them to try and navigate a Western conference that includes players like Jokic, Alperen Sengun and Jaren Jackson Jr.
To get him, the Lakers dealt their last available first-round pick — 2031. They technically have the 1-4 protection on the 2027 first they dealt to Utah, though their recent trades are designed explicitly to keep them out of the lottery and vault them into contention.
In Knecht, the Lakers send their first-round pick who just came through a horrific shooting slump to score in double figures in six of their last nine games. While holding great belief in Knecht’s offensive abilities, the defensive struggles were significant enough to limit his ability to potentially contribute this spring in what’s now looking like a significant playoff opportunity.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 12 p.m., the Lakers left with minimal options for another deal. Their last remaining draft pick they have to trade is their second-round pick in the 2025 draft.
The Lakers play Golden State, who just dealt for Miami forward Jimmy Butler, on Thursday in Los Angeles.
