In the 7-foot Williams, the Lakers believe they found a center who caters to the style that newly acquired All-Star Luka Doncic told GM Rob Pelinka he likes to play.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most active teams in the days leading up to the NBA trade deadline. On Thursday, the Lakers made their third trade of the season, acquiring center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, the Lakers’ 2031 first round pick and a pick swap in 2030.

The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NBA trade deadline. It’s NBA trade deadline day. The action really kicked off two months before Feb. 6, with the Brooklyn Nets sending Dennis Schröder to the Golden State Warriors, and we’ve been dishing out trade grades on the most notable moves ever since.