The Los Angeles Lakers made a bold statement when they landed Luka Doncic ahead of the trade deadline.
With the Slovenian superstar now leading the team, their front office wasted no time in trying to build a roster that maximizes his talents.
Lakers adjusting after a rescinded trade
One of their first moves was to acquire center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, a player reportedly “handpicked” by Doncic as an ideal frontcourt partner.
However, that deal fell apart when Williams failed his physical due to multiple health concerns.
As a result, Dalton Knecht-who had been sent to Charlotte in the trade-was unexpectedly forced to return to the Lakers.
Despite the setback, Doncic has remained unphased.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, there has been “no tangible dismay” from Doncic or his camp regarding the rescinded deal.
In fact, Stein reports that Doncic was more focused on the Lakers’ willingness to act quickly rather than dwelling on the trade’s collapse.
“Sources told The Stein Line that Doncic, in his first discussion about roster construction with Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition … and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void,” Stein reported.
With Williams no longer an option, the Lakers quickly pivoted and signed veteran big man Alex Len.
While not as high-profile of an addition, Len provides some depth in the wake of the team trading Anthony Davis to Dallas as part of the Doncic deal.
Now, the Lakers face the challenge of integrating their new superstar while keeping him healthy.
Doncic has been on a minutes restriction since returning to action against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 10, and he did not participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend to prioritize recovery.
As the team returns from the break, the Lakers have a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers.
According to Stein, Doncic is expected to play in only one of those matchups before a marquee showdown against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.
With the postseason in sight, the Lakers’ focus remains on building a sustainable squad around Doncic.
While the Williams deal didn’t pan out, it’s clear the front office is committed to surrounding their new face of the franchise with the right pieces-if not now, then certainly in the offseason.
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