The Charlotte Hornets got the last laugh after their Mark Williams trade at the deadline to the Los Angeles Lakers fell through. Some might argue that the Lakers are still in a better spot despite another first-round elimination, especially since the Hornets landed near the bottom of the standings.
However, based on expectations, Los Angeles arguably had it worse. With LeBron James already 40 and Luka Doncic still having a lot to prove, the Lakers needed a deep playoff run, if not the championship.
As for Charlotte, its drop to the bottom three of the league gave it high odds of securing a game-changer in the 2025 draft. Getting Williams back also provided it with another valuable asset moving forward, as the team can opt to retain him as its starting center or use him as a trade piece again in the summer.
Mark Williams issued a hilarious reaction to the Lakers' loss
The young center also appears thrilled with how things have turned out for him and his ex-employer. He seems happy to be in Charlotte, although he had expressed apprehension about his long-term status with Buzz City.
Williams also had a funny reaction to how Los Angeles' season disappointingly ended, sharing the hater's funeral meme on his Instagram story shortly after Game 5 of the Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves series.
Mark Williams reacts to the Lakers being eliminated 😅 pic.twitter.com/Y4Ln6UWTJi
— Will Eudy (@WillCEudy) May 1, 2025
Los Angeles wasn't supposed to lose to the sixth-seeded Wolves, more so after it held the home-court advantage in the round. But Minnesota looked like it wanted it more, winning two matches by double-digit margins and coming up more clutch in the close games.
Several Wolves players stepped up during the series, with Rudy Gobert saving the best for the closeout contest. The much-maligned big man posted 27 points and 24 rebounds, highlighting the Lakers' weakness in the paint.
Would things have ended differently if the Williams deal had pushed through? No one can say for sure. However, if they had the Hornets center on the roster, they wouldn't have been manhandled by the Wolves' frontcourt platoon comprised of Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid. The front office is probably regretting the failed trade even more now.
Now, it's back to the drawing board for the marquee franchise. Addressing the lack of big men should be at the top of its priority list. Unfortunately, James' window to compete for a championship has become even shorter. Perhaps the Lake Show should have just risked adding Williams in February to give LeBron and Doncic a reliable anchor in the paint.