The Los Angeles Lakers are out of the NBA Playoffs. Considering that they were the 3rd seed in the Western Conference, it was a disappointment since it only took five games for the Minnesota Timberwolves to eliminate them. But a lot of things went wrong for LA, especially in the final game where one thing stood out.
The Lakers simply couldn’t grab a rebound in Game 5. Rudy Gobert had one of the best games of his career, hauling in 24 rebounds while the Lakers as a team could only muster 37. Gobert also poured in 27 points, taking advantage of LA’s lack of size. Many knew the center position could be a problem in the playoffs. The Lakers nearly solved it with one move, but they backtracked.
Was Mark Williams the missing piece for the Lakers?
Back at the trade deadline, the Lakers had a deal in place to acquire Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. It ultimately fell apart, and he could have really been used in the first round. As Bill Simmons pointed out, the Lakers needed someone to rebound.
Williams is a 7-footer who weighs 240 pounds and averaged over 10 rebounds per game (in just 26 minutes per game) in his third season in the league. The Lakers surely could have used a presence like Williams, particularly in a series against a rebound-heavy team that features Gobert.
Los Angeles’ front office nixed the Williams trade due to injury concerns. It’s not a bad idea for the franchise to think long-term. Dalton Knecht can still turn into a great player, but with LeBron James nearing the end of his career, perhaps the Lakers will feel some regret about not pulling the trigger on Williams.
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