The Los Angeles Lakers made the biggest splash of the 2025 NBA trade deadline by acquiring five-time All-NBA guard Luka Dončić, but the team’s postseason failure may have hinged on a trade that never materialized—one for a starting center.
After landing Dončić, the Lakers sought to fill the void left by trading Anthony Davis by targeting a rim-running big man. Their top choice appeared to be Charlotte’s Mark Williams. The Lakers agreed to send rookie sharpshooter Dalton Knecht and a 2031 first-round pick to the Hornets for the 7-footer, who seemed a perfect lob threat for Dončić.
But Williams failed his physical, forcing the Lakers to rescind the trade. The fallout was immediate: Knecht’s confidence dipped and his defensive flaws became more pronounced. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he had fallen out of head coach J.J. Redick’s rotation entirely.
Worse yet was the Lakers’ lack of rim protection. Jaxson Hayes, who started the season at center, was virtually unplayable in the postseason—logging just 30 minutes across four games in L.A.’s five-game exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Missed Center Moves Haunt Playoff Exit Despite Doncic Splash
Before pursuing Williams, the team also inquired about Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed on Straight Fire. “I do know the Lakers made a call to the Hawks around the trade deadline about Okongwu,” he said.
A 6’10” USC product and athletic lob threat with paint presence, Okongwu would have checked multiple boxes. He averaged career highs with 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, while fitting perfectly on Dončić’s timeline at just 24 years old. Signed through 2028, Okongwu also offered cost-controlled upside.
Instead, Pelinka came up empty. With no true center behind Dončić, the flaws were brutally exposed—and their offseason priorities now couldn’t be clearer.