The Los Angeles Lakers’ pursuit of a rim-running center to meet Luka Doncic’s preferences hit a bump when a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams fell through due to a failed physical.
Despite the deal not going through, Doncic has remained understanding and patient. “At the end of the day, this is our team,” he said following the trade’s cancellation. “This is the team we have, and we’re going to show we can do everything.”
NBA reporter Marc Stein shared that Doncic’s camp showed no frustration after the failed trade for Williams. Doncic had always known acquiring the right center might take time, possibly until the summer. However, he expressed appreciation for how quickly the Lakers worked to fill this need.
Since his unexpected trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic has only played two games with the Lakers, splitting the series with the Utah Jazz. Returning from a left calf strain, he had a restricted workload, averaging 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game.
After the Lakers’ recent loss to the Jazz, Doncic reflected on the team’s potential. “I think we can go very far,” he said. “Obviously, today I felt a little bit rusty, two games in after my injury—turnovers, missed free throws, so I gotta do way better. But now we’re approaching this break, so we gotta rest.”
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