The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that sends rookie Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap the other way.
The Lakers needed a big man, having sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster deal that sends Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. They bring in the 7ft Williams, who is in his third year in the NBA after being selected with the 15th overall pick in 2022.
Williams is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 23 appearances this season. He has seven double-doubles in his last 11 games with the Hornets.
Just In: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/QGUwETssGd
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Knecht, a first-round pick for the Lakers, has averaged 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a rookie, shooting 47% from the floor and 36% from beyond the arc. Reddish is averaging 3.3 points per game in his second season with the Lakers, shooting 43% from the field.
The Hornets now own first-round picks in the next seven years, as well as a top-14 protected first-round pick in 2027 from Miami (unprotected in 2028), a top-two protected pick from Dallas in 2027, the right to swap first-rounders with the Lakers in 2030, and the Lakers’ unprotected first-round pick in 2031.
The Lakers have now traded seven of the 13 players on their roster on opening night. They also opened a roster spot in this deal with Charlotte, allowing them to add another piece.
The Lakers (29-19) are fifth in the Western Conference, while the Hornets (12-36) sit 14th in the East and will visit Los Angeles on 19 February.
