Who is Mark Williams? Meet the Lakers New Star Center

The Lakers have a new starting center. Here's everything you need to know about him.

Feb 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) goes to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This will go down as one of the most consequential trade deadlines in Los Angeles Lakers history. LA traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic and added Mark Williams, on top of that.

While Doncic is clearly the headliner from this deadline, the Williams trade is still a solid addition. The Lakers now have a starting center for this season and beyond.

Williams was brought in from the Charlotte Hornets for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap.

Now that the Lakers have him, Williams will fit in well with who they have on the roster right now, as well as in the future. So what has he accomplished so far?

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Williams was the 15th overall pick out of Duke in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Hornets. They loved him coming out of Duke because of his rim-running ability.

The Lakers now have a 23-year-old center who has shown some pretty big potential. When he has played more than 25 minutes this season, he is averaging 19.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game on 61.3 percent shooting.

The biggest issue for Williams in his career has been his ability to stay on the court. In three seasons, he has played just 85 games so far.

Injuries have been a big problem for him. He has played just 23 games so far this season. Keeping him healthy is going to be a major priority for the Lakers.

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Williams pairs perfectly with Doncic and LeBron James. He is someone who can help clean up mistakes on defense, even if he isn't the dominant defensive force that Davis is.

His ability to catch lobs will be great for both Doncic and James on fast breaks. Just throw it up anywhere near the basket, and he'll finish it.

His age allows him to grow with Doncic for years to come, too. He will be a part of the core for the foreseeable future, as long as he stays healthy.

So far this season, Williams is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

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