TRADE: LA Lakers Acquire Center with Troublesome Foot Problems

In a late-night trade, the LA Lakers, desperately in need of a center after trading Anthony Davis, have acquired burgeoning young big man Mark Williams from the Charlotte 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

The Lakers send Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap in exchange for Williams.

When he has been on the court, Williams has been very good, with a career-high of 15.6 points per game this season. He also has averaged 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots.

Like his predecessor in the middle in Purple & Gold, however, Williams has battled foot problems. Plenty of them.

Mark Williams has missed some time in his early career from a small fracture in his left foot, sources said, however LAL is confident in his medicals. Williams’ injury never required surgery, sources told ESPN.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 6, 2025

The 7-foot, 240-pounder has missed more than "some time". He's been out for huge swaths of time in his three-year career due to a series of foot injuries and other issues. The Lakers are "confident" in his medicals, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

In just 3 seasons, Mark Williams has only played in a total of 84 games.

3 ankle injuries from 2022-2023
2 thumb injuries in 2023 that led to surgery
1 back injury in 2023
2 foot injuries in 2024
1 foot injury in 2025
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) February 6, 2025

Williams has actually sat out three of the Hornets' last seven games due to "left foot injury management" and has played just 23 games this season. He got into just 19 games last year and 43 in his rookie season after being selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Yes, he's actually played a lower percentage of his team's games than Zion Williamson.

For many Lakers fans, his foot troubles sound eerily familiar to the big man who just left town. But for others, the immense talent that Williams shows, at the age of just 23, is worth the risk.