The Lakers have reportedly found their Anthony Davis replacement.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Los Angeles is acquiring Hornets center Mark Williams in exchange for rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, the Lakers’ unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 first-round pick swap.
The Lakers shook the basketball world when they landed five-time All-NBA superstar guard Luka Doncic from the Mavericks over the weekend along with big men Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Adding the reigning Western Conference Finals MVP cost the Lakers All-NBA Second Team center Davis, however.
With Kleber out indefinitely due to a broken foot, Los Angeles found itself badly in need of center depth to complement fill-in starter Jaxson Hayes.
While comments made this week by general manager Rob Pelinka suggested the Lakers may seek out a stop-gap option for the rest of the season and take a bigger swing in the summer, the front office instead took that swing now, surrendering a promising rookie in Knecht and two valuable future draft assets in order to land Williams.
The seven-footer out of Duke had been enjoying a breakout season with Charlotte in 2024/25. Williams is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 boards, 2.5 dimes, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 22 healthy contests.
Williams has dealt with some health issues early in his career, including a back injury and a small fracture in his left foot, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), but the Lakers are confident about the 23-year-old’s medicals.
As McMenamin and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN outline (Twitter links), in his initial conversations with the Lakers, Doncic impressed upon their decision-makers how much it benefited him in Dallas to play with vertical lob threats like Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, prompting the Lakers to more aggressively pursue a young, athletic center rather than some of the older, slower bigs that had been on the club’s radar.
Lakers head coach J.J. Redick also has a connection to Williams, Shelburne notes (via Twitter), having done some mentoring of him at his alma mater of Duke.
Williams will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2025 offseason. If he and the Lakers don’t agree to a deal at that point, he’d be a restricted free agent in 2026.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the two-for-one deal will open up a standard roster spot for Los Angeles. The Lakers have several movable contracts still on their roster, though they no longer have any tradable first-round draft picks on hand. The team could end up using that open roster spot to go shopping on the buyout market, McMenamin suggests (via Twitter).
Knecht, meanwhile, has slowed down since a hot start to the season, but the 6’6″ Tennessee alum is having a solid rookie season and looks capable of developing into a regular rotation piece on the wing in Charlotte. He’s averaging 9.4 points per game on .465/.358/.825 shooting splits in 48 outings so far this season.
Reddish, whose inclusion was necessary for salary-matching purposes, is on an expiring minimum-salary contract. The former 10th overall pick is a solid defender, but has a limited offensive game. He’s averaging career lows in points (3.3) and minutes (18.1) per game in 31 appearances (eight starts) for the Lakers this season.
The Hornets will need to trade or waive a player from their 15-man roster in order to open up a spot for the extra incoming player. They’ve now moved both of their top two centers in recent weeks, having also sent Nick Richards to the Suns last month for a package of future second-round picks.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Was hoping it would be Williams. Good trade.
I have feeling Dalton will be traded for a Center
Mark Williams is better than Kessler
As of today
Lakers are far better than Mavs
Not for what the Lakers need. Kessler would have been perfect for them.
Listen to the halftime comments from the Hornets last game. He can’t stay in front of people. Maybe it’s playing for Hornets but we’ll find out quickly
Must be a good day to be a lakers fan.
A good last week, which will now likely turn out to be a good next decade. Sigh.
As a longtime mavs fan, living in L A , feeling quite weird seeing Luka in the dreaded gold threads
The two showdowns this season are going to be weird / awkward.
Nico was too smart for his own good
Hornets get more picks from lakers for mark
Williams than Dallas got for Luka. Ridiculous how terrible that Luka trade looks for the mavs.
Dallas received AD, who’s worth at least 3-4 FRPs by himself if you compare with other trades for star players. Y’all are undervaluing him.
Mavs got AD.
Yes I know mavs got AD. Was being a bit hyperbolic.
Hyperbolic time chamber? WTF is that?
Oh why weren’t we told that?
Or maybe we knew and are talking about draft assets in addition to old injury-prone AD.
The Hornets waited patiently on him to recover, just to watch him break out then..trade him? No wonder this organization has been a laughing stock for years. Williams is legit.
And the formerly juicy 2030+ picks don’t look nearly as good now. That, and getting a guy like Knecht, while a solid rotational piece, is a lower upside move. Not feeling it, but that’s par for the course with this organization.
Ah but the hornets got cam reddish … all is not lost.
A healthy Mark Williams is a force inside. Not sure why Charlotte would move off this guy. LaMelo makes sure this guy eats very well inside. He will eat with Luka and LeBron as well.
bruh wtf are the Hornets doing who about to play Center now Taj Gibson smh
Moussa diabate
Bold move Lakers. I’ll give them credit, I didn’t think they had a shot a week ago. Now they look darn good.
Lakers will go further than the Mavs this year. That’s my ‘bold’ prediction.
SO many NBA GM’s are that a****** GM in your fantasy league doing the dumbest stuff.
And the result is the lakers get handed Luka doncic. Argggg
It was a cosmic portal in the universe opening up and messing w/ Nico and plopping Doncic on Pelinka
Overpaying for a dude that’ll maybe crack 10 points on this squad and is more injury prone than AD was. His stats look good because he’s on the Hornets.
Williams is a rebounding machine, interior presence and rim protector. They have Luka, LeBron and Reaves. 10-12 points on most nights with occasional big nights against favorable matchups is all they need from him. Lakers defensive issues just got improved.
They essentially traded 3 FRPs for him… not a good trade
Reddish = journeyman
Mark Williams is one of the better up and coming, young Centers in today’s NBA. He’s your protypical number five, and he was exactly what the Lakers needed. He’s going to provide this Lakers team with a presence down low, excellent rebounding, and he’s more than capable of giving you double digit points every night.
If you would have told me the Lakers would be able to acquire Luka Doncic AND Mark Williams without giving up Reaves, I would have thought you were absolutely crazy.
Rob Pelinka does it yet again! This man doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for making the best out of what he’s been able to work with and the limited assets he’s had in order to make anything happen.
Pelinka has just taken the Lakers from a middling playoff team without a real future into a perennial powerhouse for the foreseeable future. Luka and Williams can anchor this team for several years to come!
Two bc what is a pick swap worth if the one with rights is Charlotte?
If Williams stays healthy this is good for the Lakers! 23 year old 7’2 center that’s a lob threat for Luka and Bron, they paid a lot but with all the centers coming off the board and if Williams at 23 is the Center of the future , it’s a win win
Jimmy Butler to Golden State means LeBron will be exercising his player option, and staying. Lakers trying to win with Luka/LeBron. They will add players when guys start getting bought out of their contracts.
There’s the Rob Pelinka I know…
A more likely than not non-lottery 1st in 6 years, a lower upside young player, and a pick swap which may not be triggered (especially given how terrible the Hornets organization has been in recent years) is a haul to you? I’m not seeing it.
Damn, I’m gonna miss Knecht more than AD.
At first I was confused, why would the Hornets trade their “center of the future” but after thinking a little this is a good deal for them.
While Mark has been great for them, back injuries are tough to deal with it. His value might never be as high as it is currently. If his injuries come back, they wouldnt get half of this package for him.
Also, unprotected first rounders will always be valuable, wether you have Luka or not. The Mavs missed the play in 2 seasons ago WITH Luka (the pick became Lively). So this pick could still absolutely be gold even if the Lakers keep Luka.
Knecht is a very intriguing now asset for the Hornets. While he’s he has cooled off. He’s shown some tremendous upside.
He won’t eat nothing while Luca and LeBron is there he might as well turn into a vegetarian
League is in full force making sure the Lakers are a title contender. NBA is worse than WWE.
I’d say the Lakers management is finally waking up. Noone forced the mavs to send Luka. As for hornets idk what they are doing.
Ok. Now, I’m actually confused more about Charlotte’s motivation to do this deal than I was about Dallas.
But I mean… I guess they aren’t going anywhere. Take a dice roll on Dalton converting to an impact player, ok. An unprotected first and swap rights but Charlotte always stinks anyway.
I have to sell my brain on an awful lot of injury and inconsistency concerns about Williams for me to understand why Charlotte would do this.
Another lobsided win for the lakers. Man I gotta switch to supporting these LA sports teams
MW is good when healthy but what on earth are the hornets doing???
Great deal for Lakers, not only makes them better now but also long term.
Looking over their depth chart
Luka AR Bron DFS Williams
Vincent Milton Rui Vando Hayes
Bronny … … Kleber Wood
It’s clear they need to add a guard that can shoot.
Not many on the FA market currently, maybe they should pursue another trade before the deadline.
Vincent and Kleber for Hueter and Carter
Bulls get Vincent on an expiring rather than holding 2 guys on 2 year contracts. Both Hueter and Carter don’t project to get minutes behind Giddey White Ball Ayo and Jones atleast Kleber might give them back up big minutes along side Smith and Collins.
Lakers add Carter who is a decent little catch and shoot sorta off ball back up point guard. Hueter aside having a bad season this year has always been an alright sharpshooter SG.
Together both guys would be huge for the lakers off the bench. Hueter would get good minutes right away, while Carter would compete with Milton for time.
Another option which could be easier is just Vincent or Kleber for Dennis Schroder. You’d likely have to give up a second round pick for Danny Ainge but we all know Schroder a be a good back up point guard and would be a considerable upgrade over Vincent
Vincent isn’t expiring
OK looking better now. Williams is starting to show. But this is more for the future. Lakers are better. Its a good move. Hornets are a minor league team. They are just here to supply the NBA teams ……
Can’t blame MJ —- he’s been gone for yrs now.
They gave up better assets for Williams than they did Luka
As for the Hornets, don’t think it’s a great deal.
Now your really lacking at the 5 after having Williams and Richards.
Long term you have Ball at the 1 and Miller at the 3. The 2 is between Smith Jr, Green or Knetch and the 4 currently is Bridges with Grant Williams currently out as the back up. That makes Salaun the back up 3. Diabate takes the 5 by default but he’s currently only on a two way deal I believe.
If in Charlotte I’m looking to use the draft capital the Lakers gave you and package that with Miles Bridges for a big name.
Ayton for example would be a good start as he would fill the 5 spot and not cost much in draft capital.
Zion Williamson would be another good suggestion. Ball Miller Zion as a trio that’s massive. Considering they gave up Ingram for next to nothing maybe Bridges, a first and a pick swap is enough…
Bridges for Claxton would be an interesting one.
Claxton this season has had less minutes and a drop in starts. He was expected to have a big year but clearly hasn’t. His FG% is a career worst and his FT% is near a career low. While averaging less points, rebounds and blocks per game.
You wouldn’t give up any draft capital and you’d fill the 5 spot but it’s a gamble.
This is payback…many years ago the Lakers acquired a guy named Kobe Bryant who turned out to be one of the game’s best. Charlotte have just traded for someone who will be an all-star….. seriously… great long term move for Hornets.
Good for Lakers too. Amazing how every team but the Warriors can sign a big.
Don’t see it. Knecht will be a borderline NBA level player and retire in 6 seasons.
He isn’t the pick and roll defender you would want, but in general, Mark Williams is at least usually somewhat adequate on that end, and really good as a post defender, and is also a really strong offensive rebounder. He should help Jackson Hayes as a good 2nd unit option for them behind him, though if you could upgrade there as well, that would be nice
I think the Lakers need wing defense badly, and you don’t want to be giving up too many shooters, around LeBron and Luka, even though there are less lineups you probably would have used him in after the trade…
That’s a lot for Mark Williams who’s not that durable.
Im not saying that M.Williams is on Kobe’s level but why are the Hornets always on the wrong side of making the Lakers great again?
I know this Hornets are not the same Hornets who made the Kobe trade but still. It all comes back to the Hornets making a trade with the Lakers.
Pelinka dealing. Convinced Nico he couldn’t part with the 1st rounder or Knecht because he was concerned about Luka’s injury potential. Then as soon as he gets Luka, he ships the 1st and Knecht to Charlotte for an injury prone center. Nico looks worse by the day.
Great move by LAL. Williams is a potential monster on the defensive end, with decent offensive skills. Wanted him for the NYK, but never thought even CHA would make him available. Congrats to Pelinka! With Thanks to CHA for their constant efforts to inexplicably deal their best players. And a Special Thanks to Nico for leaving the LAL with enough assets needed to pull it off.
Williams on the Knicks would have been great.
Is it still MJ making the final decisions for these HORNETS ?
They are the very definition of a poverty franchise.
LAL just became a real title contender, they improved massively!
Luka to the finals for a second straight year!
Great trade! Mark Williams is a good player and young rather than searching for old C player.
I like our chances for a championship! The front office has rebuilt a contender in just a week.