Lakers already building roster around Luka Doncic's strengths

Now that Doncic is in Los Angeles, the Lakers front office has proactively acquired a big man who excels as a vertical lob threat.

Mark Williams, with a standing reach of 9-foot-9, is elite out of pick and rolls, both as a roll man and a hard screener. 

This season, he's averaging 4.6 points as the roll man, tied for sixth in the league. Furthermore, he's one of the best at putback dunks with 2.5 points per game while crashing the offensive glass. These are the exact traits Doncic loves in his big men. 

The footage below illustrates why Williams thrived playing next to LaMelo Ball in Charlotte. Williams registered 60 dunks in his final 22 games with the Hornets, per NBA.com.

The Lakers believe in Williams as their starting center of the future. The team shipped away promising rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap. 

Some analysts and fans felt the Lakers gave up too much for a 23-year-old ravaged by injuries in his young career. However, the Lakers view Williams as a player who complements Doncic's skills. 

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers view Williams as the starting center "who can progress on the same timeline as the 25-year-old Doncic." Williams also has ties to Lakers head coach JJ Redick.

"The third-year veteran also has previous ties to Lakers coach JJ Redick, with the two connecting while Williams played at Duke University, Redick's alma mater. A source described the dynamic of their relationship as that of a mentor and mentee," McMenamin noted.

Even Doncic was keen on the trade for Williams, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Doncic is expected to make his Lakers debut either Saturday against the Pacers or Monday against the Jazz. It's unknown if Williams will suit up as early as this weekend or next week.