"Just give us Mark Williams back" - Lakers fans in shambles after new 7-foot Ukrainian center massively underperforms in debut 

The LA Lakers signed 7-foot Ukrainian center Alex Len on Tuesday in the aftermath of losing Mark Williams after rescinding the trade from the Hornets big. Williams didn't pass his physical, forcing LA to void the trade. However, it left a glaring roster hole at the five.

Len was initially supposed to sign with the Indiana Pacers, but he reversed that decision after a spot became available on the Lakers in the frontcourt. With more playing time and a larger role on offer, Len chose to sign with the Purple and Gold. It didn't take long for fans to see him in action as the Lakers used his services in Wednesday's loss to Utah.

However, things didn't go as planned. The Lakers lost 131-119, seeing a six-game winning streak snapped. Len underperformed in the game, tallying four points, seven rebounds, and two assists on 2 of 5 shots. He was a +/- -9. However, that number dropped to -19 before Len closed the game with the reserves.

After a difficult start to life as a Laker, Alex Len wasn't spared by the team's fanbase online. One fan demanded the NBA to reverse the Mark Williams decision, saying:

"Just give us Mark Williams back ill take back everything I said pls @NBA"

Another added:

One fan said:

"Facts bro has no bag for anything. A handicap cwood is more dangerous"

One fan wrote:

"i thought he was finna stop Jokic"

Another asked for Christian Wood's return, saying:

"get Christian Wood back"

Another wrote:

"We may need to lose this investigation with the Hornets and get Williams"

What's the latest around LA Lakers and Mark Williams trade saga?

The LA Lakers-Mark Williams trade saga might not be over yet. According to multiple reports, the Charlotte Hornets are challenging the Lakers for voiding the deal.

The latest development reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin suggests that the Hornets are pushing to reinstate the original terms of the deal that would see Williams land in LA and Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and the 2031 pick go to the Hornets.

"The Hornets, they're not giving up on this deal," McMenamin said (timestamp: 1:29). "... They are petitioning the NBA to have a ruling on this trade, and they're gonna try to reverse it once again because they're not satisfied with the Lakers' explanation of Mark Williams failing the physical."

The Hornets' case remains weak, especially if rumors around Williams' uninformed injury history are true. While the trade was initially agreed upon before the deadline, the prolonged delay since the Lakers voided the trade also makes a compelling case for the NBA to reject Charlotte's plea.