After trading away Anthony Davis to acquire superstar Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers had a massive hole at center that sorely needed to be filled. General manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office were able to do just that by pulling off a trade for promising but oft-injured big man Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.
The deal was a costly one as the Lakers sent out promising rookie Dalton Knecht and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, along with Cam Reddish and a 2030 pick swap. But the franchise felt it was worth the risk, especially as it was the exact type of big man that Doncic prefers to play with and the Lakers are always a team that appeases its stars.