The LA Lakers made another deal ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, acquiring center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. The Lakers finally got their big man for the future in the 23-year-old center, who is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season.
ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the deal, with rookie Dalton Knecht and swingman Cam Reddish heading to Charlotte. The Lakers are also sending the coveted 2031 first-round pick plus a pick swap in 2030.
Here's the full trade breakdown:
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LA Lakers receive: Mark Williams
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Charlotte Hornets receive: Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick.
With this trade, the LA Lakers have the perfect center to play alongside Luka Doncic in the next decade. Mark Williams is an athletic big man who can run the floor, catch lobs and make things easier for Doncic and the Lakers.
Let's look at the Lakers' updated depth chart following the trade:
Note: Players in bold letters are currently out with an injury.
Once Luka Doncic is healthy, he'll be the starting point guard with Austin Reaves sliding into shooting guard. Rui Hachimura and LeBron James occupy the forward position, while the newly-acquired Mark Williams is at center.
Shake Milton and Gabe Vincent are going to be the backup guards, with the forward depth filled in by Jarred Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith. These two players can be the small ball center if coach JJ Redick wants to increase the team's pace.
Jaxson Hayes remains as the backup center, which means the LA Lakers need some shooting to complete their roster overhaul. Reaves, Hachimura and James are not natural knockdown shooters, while DFS is not enough off the bench.
LA Lakers could look at buyout market for shooters
After adding Mark Williams to their roster, the LA Lakers need to improve their shooting. Dalton Knecht was their only knockdown shooter and was shipped to the Charlotte Hornets to get Williams.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, it might be time for the Lakers to consider the buyout market next. There are no clear-cut candidates at the moment, but things will get clearer following the trade deadline.
Potential candidates include Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Bojan Bogdanovic, Dennis Schroder and Malcolm Brogdon. They could also give Quincy Olivari a real shot at making the team's roster, while there are available names from last year's free agency.
Some of the veterans who remained unsigned are Robert Covington, Wesley Matthews and Reggie Bullock. Maybe they can convince players such as Lonnie Walker IV, Davis Bertans, Cedi Osman, Patrick Beverley and Danilo Gallinari to leave Europe for another NBA stint.
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