Mark Williams sends clear Lakers message after loss to Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated last night by the Minnesota Timberwolves, capping off a gentleman's sweep that saw the Lakers' roster deficiencies unmasked. The T-Wolves, with a deeper roster and led by young superstar Anthony Edwards, looked and felt too much to handle.

Los Angeles came into the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, but it's clear that this Lakers roster is going to need some more work before they are ready to truly contend in a stacked West.

After trading one of the best defensive anchors in Anthony Davis midseason for all-world talent Luka Doncic (a trade in which no one would fault them for making), Los Angeles was left without an NBA-caliber center on their roster, relying heavily on Jaxson Hayes down the stretch of the season.

While Hayes didn't see a single minute of action in the pivotal Game 5, Minnesota's Rudy Gobert dominated with 27 points and 24 rebounds. It's clear what the Lakers are missing is rim protection. However, they came close to getting some of that shortly after the Doncic trade.

In the days following the trade heard 'round the world, the Lakers had a deal in place to acquire Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, shipping out Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick. The seven-footer was going to be the final piece of the puzzle for the new-look Lakers until they failed his physical, rescinding the trade and leaving their roster vulnerable.

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Williams, who would say he was healthy in the weeks following the trade, did not forget what the Lakers did to him and posted a single emoji following the Lakers' elimination.

🙂

This failed trade appears to be a sore spot for Williams, who was most likely excited to go from a team at the bottom of the standings in Charlotte to a contender like Los Angeles. Although the Hornets didn't end up cracking the postseason, Williams may have still gotten the last laugh.