The Big Lead

Mark Williams gets last laugh on Lakers with post-elimination troll

Williams, who was acquired by L.A. and sent back to Charlotte due to a failed physical, savored the Lakers' early playoff exit.

By Joe Lago

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) reacts after being called for a foul during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) reacts after being called for a foul during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Lakers needed a center when they had Anthony Davis, and they needed a center after trading Davis for Luka Doncic. They appeared to fill their biggest need at the trade deadline by acquiring Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams but rescinded the deal after the 7-foot-1 Williams failed his physical.

Since mid-January, the Lakers have managed to get by with a center-less lineup, earning the No. 3 seed in the highly competitive Western Conference. However, a first-round playoff matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves exacerbated L.A.'s biggest weakness, as a once-promising postseason ended early with Wednesday's 103-96 Game 5 defeat at Crypto.com Arena.

RELATED: Luka Doncic called out for being 'helpless' on defense in Lakers loss by NBA insider

Rudy Gobert stood tall against the Lakers' small-ball attack to help clinch the series. The Wolves' 7-foot-2 center recorded playoff career highs of 27 points and 24 rebounds, and his dominance even prompted L.A. rookie head coach JJ Redick to call on 6-10 reserve Maxi Kleber to make his Lakers debut in an elimination game.

The duo of LeBron James and Doncic on offense figured to be dominant enough to carry L.A., but the shortcomings of the Lakers' roster proved to be too much to overcome against the size and athleticism of Minnesota.

After the loss, James was asked about how taxing it was to play without a true center, and he gave a non-answer that was still very telling.

"No comment," James replied to the question by The Athletic's Jovan Buha. "I'll never say that (the Lakers needed a center) because my guy AD said what he needed and then he was gone the following week.

"I got no comment," added James, laughing at the dark humor of it all. "I put that uniform on every night and gave everything I had, and that's all that matters."

The last word on the Lakers' unexpected demise came from the center they sent back to Charlotte.

Shortly after Minnesota's elimination of L.A., Williams tweeted a smiling emoji. No words were needed to interpret the satisfaction he was enjoying.

James also gave a brutally honest assessment of the Lakers' season and their second straight first-round playoff exit. Despite the 50-32 regular-season record and No. 3 seed, the 2024-25 campaign is officially categorized as a "disappointment" in James' book.

"Since my first NBA Finals appearance in 2007, the moment I got to be a part of that and taste that feeling, from there on every season that I did not make it to the Finals or did not win a championship has been a disappointment," James said. "So it would be the same for me. It would be the same offseason of disappointment and unfulfillment."

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