The Los Angeles Lakers acquired their center of the future on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Rob Pelinka sent out Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and an unprotected 2031 first-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets. Mark Williams is heading to Los Angeles, giving JJ Redick a genuinely talented rim-runner who can play above the rim.

Shortly after ESPN’s Shams Charania announced the Lakers trade, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports shared his thoughts on the deal for the Lakers.

“Mark Williams is a shocking addition for the Lakers,” O’Connor posted on X. “Such an incredible trade. Wow. Perfect for what they need now and into the future. Interior defensive enforcer, rebounder, screen and lob target for Luka and LeBron. Plus has untapped shooting touch. A+ deadline becomes A+++++…Injuries are of course the concern with Mark Williams. But more than worth the upside bet at age 23 IMO. Stunned the Hornets moved him even though the return is quite nice.”

Williams, 23, has played 22 games this season. He’s averaging 16 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists, converting at a 59.7% clip from the field. At 7-foot tall, Williams is an explosive finisher near the rim and a valuable shot deterrent on defense. Not only will he make an immediate impact for the Lakers, he will also continue to improve and could become long-term anchor for their defense.

Lakers Listened to Luka Doncic

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Luka Doncic had informed the Lakers front office he plays best when sharing the court with a lob threat. Shelburne noted how Pelinka changed his approach after Doncic’s revelation, moving away from older bigs and toward younger, more explosive options.

“Lakers had been looking for a big but once they got Luka this week, they knew exactly what kind of big they wanted,” Shelburne reported via X. “From what I’ve heard, in Luka’s initial basketball conversations he told Lakers GM Rob Pelinka he played best when he had a vertical lob threat. When Charlotte called saying they liked Knecht and might be willing to discuss Mark Williams, the deal came into place…”

“The Lakers had previously looked at more veteran, slower/older bigs. But when Luka explained how much playing with Lively and Gafford opened things up for him in Dallas, LA felt like this was the move that would give them a shot this year and beyond.”

By acquiring Williams, the Lakers have shown Doncic that they’re willing to listen to their players and add talent that can help maximize the skill sets of players within the roster.

Lakers’ Mark Williams Trade is Building For Doncic

Doncic is clearly the future of the Lakers franchise. He’s a top-five player in the world, and at 25 years old, he could still improve. As such, the Lakers will likely continue to make moves that will help now but are designed for the future. Williams could partner Doncic for the next five years or more.

Of course, Pelinka must strike a balance between appeasing Doncic and showing LeBron James that he’s still a valued and important member of the rotation. If signing young and impactful players helps move the needle, then LeBron will likely remain happy with the franchise.

Still, the addition of Williams is already proof that we’re entering the Doncic/Lakers era. The fanbase must now hope that LeBron fits into that vision for the remainder of his career.

Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy. He has also written for CelticsBlog, USA Today, Yardbarker and FanSided. Adam has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor