Los Angeles Lakers bosses were desperate to bring in a center before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
They almost pulled it off after agreeing to hand over talented rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and an unprotected first-round pick in 2031 to the Charlotte Hornets for 7-foot giant Mark Williams.
It looked as if the Lakers somehow managed to build for a last tilt with LeBron James, while securing their future by pairing shiny new toy Luka Doncic with a big man.
But the move fell through on Saturday after Williams failed a medical, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.
It left general manager Rob Pelinka with a glaring need in the forecourt and potentially opened up a rift between James and Doncic before they’ve even taken to the court together.
ESPN claims Doncic handpicked Williams in a meeting with Pelinka earlier in February, meaning his first big request has resulted in nothing.
“And it wasn’t lost on James’ camp, sources said, that Pelinka prioritized Doncic’s involvement upon his arrival and immediately engaged in the Williams trade that he’d asked for, when James had for years wanted the team to trade its picks to improve its roster,” added journalist Dave McMenamin.
LeBron got his wish to team up with son Bronny in Los Angeles.
But the 40-year-old doesn’t have many years left to add a fifth NBA Championship.
What is worse, having found out about the trade for Doncic while having dinner with his family, it is clear the team is making plans without him.
A five-time All-Star and NBA scoring leader in 2023, 25-year-old Doncic is clearly the future for the Lakers. His foundation donated $500,000 to the wildfire recovery efforts ahead of his eagerly-anticipated debut.
With Anthony Davis heading to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the Doncic trade, the franchise will rely on Jaxson Hayes as a starting center — another sign the scales are tipping in Doncic’s favor.
The 24-year-old shares an agent, Bill Duffy, with the Slovenian and was one of his first teammates to go out to dinner with him.
“When he was in Dallas and I was in New Orleans my first few years, they kept trying to trade for me,” Hayes told ESPN on Saturday.
“New Orleans never allowed it. He was like, ‘Do you remember when we couldn’t trade for you?’ I was like, ‘Do you remember what I told you after every game I played against you?’
“After every game I would be like, ‘If you ever need a big, I would love to play with you.’ Just because of the way he moves the ball.”
Doncic could make his debut against the Utah Jazz on Monday after dealing with a calf strain.
LeBron, who put up 42 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors before sitting out a victory over the Indiana Pacers, is also expected to return and give fans a first look at their dynamic duo in action.
James has been asked about the task of forming a partnership with his new teammate and is excited at the potential.
“I don’t really see a challenge,” he said. “Everybody get in the right spots. Hold each other accountable. Play basketball the right way. Share the ball. The ball is going to be in Luka’s hands. It’s going to be in [Austin Reaves’] hands. Two great decision-makers.
“It’s going to be in my hands a little bit as well. Another great decision-maker. And then our guys are going to feast off of it. I mean, that’s a beautiful thing.”
“I mean, this is the Lakers. This is a larger than life, legacy franchise,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said on Saturday. “This is an amazing opportunity for Luka.
“And I think certainly LeBron and him have an affinity for each other that goes back to really Luka’s first year in the league. The whole thing is an amazing string of events.”
Lakers fans will hope the game against the Jazz will be the start of a harmonious relationship, if not Pelinka will have to face the music.
