Mark Williams took to X after being traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers. Williams sent a simple message to Laker Nation: two heart emojis, one purple and one gold. Lakers fans will be thrilled to see the commitment from the young center ahead of his arrival in Tinsel Town to represent them going forward.
https://twitter.com/MarkWi1liams/status/1887370639905816704
Williams has had a difficult time since joining the NBA in 2022. He was drafted 15th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the draft. He only played 43 games in his first season as he struggled with injuries throughout the campaign. The following season was even worse, as a back injury ended his season at just 19 games played.
He made his return to the Hornets in December of this season. Since returning to the side, he balled out, averaging a career-best 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 58.6% from the field and 78.0% from the free-throw line.
Now on the Lakers, he will be playing alongside two of the best players in the NBA – LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Both players have shown in the past that they are excellent at elevating the bigs that they play with. Luka Doncic in particular has been sensational at elevating the ceiling of his centers, with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford playing elite basketball with him.
If Doncic can get the best out of Williams, he will be a dangerous addition to the Lakers, and make them a strong contender in the Western Conference. The big question mark heading into the rest of the season is Williams’ health. Given his injury struggles in the past, will the former Duke center be able to keep himself healthy through the rest of the season and in the playoffs?
Williams Gives Lakers What They Need
In the aftermath of the Anthony Davis trade, the Lakers had bolstered their roster but were absolutely strapped at the center position. The Lakers had no natural starting center, with Davis filling the role despite being a power forward. After Davis’ departure, Jaxson Hayes became the starting center.
While he played well in the few games that Davis was unavailable or gone, Hayes is not at the level to be a starter on an NBA team, especially one that has championship aspirations. Williams will come in and become the starting center for the Lakers as soon as possible.
His form has improved drastically over the last few games. Williams has scored 15+ points in seven of his last 10 games. During this 10-game stretch, the young center has averaged 20.0 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 56.2% from the field and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
Given that he did this on a subpar Hornets team with little creation, imagine what he can do playing alongside Doncic and James, two of the best creators and passers in the NBA. He could become a dominant pick-and-role threat if he plays at a high level and stays healthy.
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