Lakers Strike Gold Again: How Luka Dončić and the Perfect Big Man Landed in Their Lap Effortlessly
The Los Angeles Lakers always seem to find a way to escape mediocrity and land in the lap of luxury. No matter how bleak things may look for the franchise, history has shown that they always manage to secure a Hall of Fame talent to lead them back to prominence.
From Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, from Magic Johnson to Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have a knack for bouncing back stronger. Even when Shaq left, they miraculously acquired Pau Gasol in a trade so lopsided that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called for an investigation. Then, after Kobe, they landed LeBron James.
Now, as LeBron reaches the twilight of his career, the Lakers have done it again—this time landing Luka Dončić. And as if that wasn’t enough, they still had enough assets left to acquire Mark Williams, a young and athletic big man who perfectly complements Dončić’s playstyle as a lob threat.
The most baffling part? Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka didn’t even have to work for it. Reportedly, he was simply invited to a coffee meeting by Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who casually inquired if the Lakers were interested in a 25-year-old generational superstar. At first, Pelinka thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t.
Not only did Harrison offer Dončić on a silver platter, but he did so without shopping him to other teams that could have easily outbid the Lakers. Instead of demanding a historic haul of draft picks, the Mavericks settled for a 32-year-old Anthony Davis and a single future first-rounder. To put it in perspective, Mikal Bridges—who has never made an All-Star team—cost the Knicks five picks, and Dejounte Murray cost the Hawks four.
For Laker haters, the only solace was that the team lacked a true center after trading Davis. Even Pelinka admitted the market was dry and suggested they might have to wait until the offseason. But then, just as they had done before, fate intervened.
The Charlotte Hornets—the same franchise that once gifted the Lakers Kobe Bryant in 1996—stepped in to offer Mark Williams. This
