After the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off the trade that brought them Luka Doncic on Feb. 1, they instantly went back to work and looked to complete their roster. Adding a starting-caliber center was their No. 1 task, and they appeared to do just that days later when they agreed to trade rookie sharpshooter Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams.
Williams appeared to be the type of young, athletic, defensive-minded center they both wanted and needed. But he failed his physical, and just like that, kaput went that trade.
Some have wondered since if the Lakers could revisit that trade this summer, especially since the trade was rescinded after the trade deadline passed and there was no time to make adjustments to it or to attempt a different one. Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll wrote in a recent article that it is a possibility.
Via Silver Screen and Roll:
“Williams is an athletic, lob-catching center who has a whole lot of potential,” Rude wrote. “At the same time, he also, as we learned, has some pretty concerning injury concerns.
“… But it’s hard to imagine the Lakers’ concerns were necessarily about the short term, but instead the long term when it comes to Williams.
“… Would they do a straight swap of Knecht for Williams? Potentially. A first round pick for Williams? Potentially. The pick swap would just be a sweetener to any deal because, odds are, a Luka-led Lakers team will finish in a better position than the Hornets.
“It feels most likely, then, that the trade would be built around Knecht and Williams.
“… Therefore, I think it’s entirely possible the Lakers give the Hornets a call to further discuss things. Now, there isn’t a trade deadline rushing things and the two sides could have longer conversations about where they stand.”
Rude added that Williams’ trade value has likely dipped after that rescinded trade. He has, indeed, been injury-prone during his three pro seasons — he has appeared in just 106 of a possible 246 games, and this year, he played in 44 games.
On the other hand, he averaged 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 26.6 minutes a game while shooting 60.4% from the field. If the Lakers feel his potential and current production outweigh any concerns they had about him being able to stay healthy, and if they strike out elsewhere in terms of landing a legitimate center, perhaps they could make another attempt to land him.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer feels Lakers could try to trade for Mark Williams again
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
