It has only been two weeks, but many are still in shock over the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. After parts of seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, the team traded Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. This move was done to benefit the Lakers now and in the long run. By acquiring Doncic, they get a perennial MVP candidate to pair alongside LeBron James. Additionally, the Slovenian native is only 26 years old and could be the face of the franchise for at least another decade.
While this was the biggest move the Lakers made this season, it was not their only one. In another trade, the Lakers landed Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets for Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish. Williams is a talented big man who provides a lot of value on the court. However, due to multiplied problems in his physical, the trade never happened. Instead, the players involved in the trade went back to their original teams.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), though Doncic wanted Wiliams on the Lakers, there is “no tangible dismay” from him despite the rescinded trade.
“The original deal called for the Lakers to send rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, their 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a first-round pick swap in 2030 to Charlotte for Williams. The 23-year-old, now in his third season, certainly appeared to be an ideal choice to serve as the rim-running lob threat that Dončić, soon after his arrival in Lakerland, identified as the sort of center he’d like to play with.”
“Yet there has been no tangible dismay from the Dončić camp about his new team walking away from the Williams deal. Sources told The Stein Line that Dončić, in his first discussion about roster construction with Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition … and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void.”
NBA Insider Reveals Luka Doncic’s Thoughts On Failed Los Angeles Lakers Trade
How the Los Angeles Lakers Rebounded After the Rescinded Trade
Despite not getting Williams, the Lakers did add another center to the roster. After the failed trade, the Lakers signed veteran big man Alex Len. While not as exciting of a name as Williams, Len still provides some value. The former top-five overall draft pick made his Lakers debut just before the All-Star break against the Utah Jazz. In the loss, he recorded four points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one block in 22 minutes. As the season progresses, Len should become more accustomed to his role with the Lakers. He will not be a game-changer, but he could still make an impact down the line.
The Last Word
At the All-Star break, the Lakers are 32-20 and own the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. After a rocky start to the season, the Lakers have started figuring things out. The Lakers have won 12 of their last 15 games. Furthermore, they have lost just six times in 2025. The Lakers will not take the court again until Wednesday against the Hornets. After losing in the first round to the Denver Nuggets last year, the Lakers will look to make a deeper playoff run this year.
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