Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams held a question-and-answer session on X (formerly Twitter) over a week ago. Naturally, some of the questions brought up were about the nixed trade that was going to bring him to the Los Angeles Lakers and the injury issues that had the Lakers backpedaling from their agreement with the Hornets.
Only time will tell if Los Angeles' concerns turn out to be valid. But Williams has already said he is in a good place now, also stating on X that he didn't even miss a game this season because of his supposedly troublesome knees and back.
So, if the big man's health is not as bad as it seems, why did the Lakers change their mind about him? He got the same question in his Q&A, to which he offered an interesting response.
ask them
— Mark Williams (@MarkWi1liams) April 17, 2025
Lakers' continued struggles in the playoffs highlight their need for a center
After losing Game 1 and the homecourt advantage in their series versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, they bounced back strong in the second meeting. However, a strong closing effort by the Wolves in Game 3 has Los Angeles facing a 2-1 deficit.
LeBron James and his crew had no answer again for Minnesota's formidable rotation of big men. Julius Randle had another impressive offensive showing, while Naz Reid, who would actually look good in a Hornets uniform, scored 11 off the bench and punished the opponents for leaving him open from long distance. Rudy Gobert went invisible, although that's already expected from the four-time Defensive Player of the Year during this time of the year.
How would have Williams helped the Lakers? For one, he could have provided them with another offensive weapon with Luka Doncic nursing an illness and enduring an off-night. As inconsistent as he has been at times for Charlotte, he would have likely fared much better than Jaxson Hayes, the Purple and Gold's starting center, who was on the court for just nine minutes on Friday. Hayes logged two points, one rebound, and a plus/minus of -13.
Of course, it's too early to write the Lakers off, as a 2-1 hole isn't that too deep to climb out of. The duo of James and Doncic, as long as they're healthy, is enough to lift the team into the second round. However, even if the squad advances deep in the playoffs, the lack of big man depth caused in large part by how it handled the trade with the Hornets could haunt it if it faces tougher foes in the later rounds.
