Luka Doncic's love of playing with Mavericks' centers influenced latest Lakers trade

The Lakers knew they needed a center; Luka Doncic helped steer their direction.

Oct 30, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts with center Dereck Lively II (2) during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers already had a gaping hole at center before trading Anthony Davis away to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the deal that sent Luka Doncic to LA. With Davis gone, they were left with Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood (who hasn't played this season), and two-way players Christian Koloko and Trey Jamison as their centers. Safe to say, that wasn't good enough for a team with playoff aspirations.

So the Lakers met with Luka Doncic, who let it be known that he liked playing with the types of centers he had recently in Dallas, more specifically, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Lively and Gafford helped open the floor for Doncic, as they're both high-flying lob finishers. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, when the Charlotte Hornets came calling with interest in Dalton Knecht, things fell into place from there for the Lakers to acquire Mark Williams, who fits the same mold as Gafford and Lively.

The Lakers had previously looked at more veteran, slower/older bigs. But when Luka explained how much playing with Lively and Gafford opened things up for him in Dallas, LA felt like this was the move that would give them a shot this year and beyond.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 6, 2025

READ MORE: Mavericks' lackluster return for Luka Doncic helped Lakers make second massive trade

Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) reacts after a rebound against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

It's not an accident that as soon as Doncic received quality athletic centers with the Mavericks, they were able to make a run to the NBA Finals. Previously, his starting centers had been JaVale McGee, Dwight Powell, Christian Wood, Boban Marjanovic, Willie Cauley-Stein, Kristaps Porzingis (who is a floor-spacer more than he's a lob threat), and an older DeAndre Jordan. Then, the Mavericks swung a draft-night trade for Dereck Lively II in the 2023 NBA Draft and traded for Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline. They helped anchor the defense while having the ability to catch and slam anything thrown near the rim.

Mark Williams, in theory, can help provide similar things for Doncic on the Lakers. At 7'2", he's averaging 16.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 1.2 BPG. He likely won't have the same scoring impact while playing with LeBron James and Luka Doncic, but he's a massive upgrade over what they had on the roster previously.

The Lakers will be a tough out in the playoffs, with a quality top-six of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Mark Williams. If Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Shake Milton can provide anything off the bench, that'll be helpful, as this defense doesn't project to be great.

READ MORE: Daniel Gafford hurt emotionally after Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to Lakers

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