The problem with making deals around the time of the NBA trade deadline was perfectly highlighted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024-25 NBA season. It is not often that a deal will fall through, but if it does, there is no real room to recover with the window on dealing players being closed until the offseason.
Most fans should be pretty familiar with the Mark Williams trade fiasco by now. After shipping off Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic trade, the Lakers were left even more thin in the frontcourt than many thought they already were. Williams was supposed to be the solution before failing his physical with the team.
If the organization was really that confident in thinking the Charlotte Hornets big man represented too much of an injury risk to comfortably give up Dalton Knecht and significant draft capital, pulling the plug on the trade was absolutely the right call. However, it remains all the same that it has put some significant strain on the Lakers as they approach the NBA Playoffs.
The fatal flaw that could cost the Lakers in the postseason
Doncic and LeBron James were already set to carry a heavy burden for Los Angeles in terms of any hopes regarding a deep postseason run. The Lakers superstars are two of the very best playoff risers in recent history, so there was some comfort to be found in that.
The problem is with the team missing a glass eater and rim protector, that burden is going to be even larger than it otherwise would have been. Bill Simmons pointed this out on one of his recent podcasts.
Simmons said, “LeBron has to rebound I think a little more than maybe he’s ever had as a burden in his career and same for Luka. They’re going to have to patch some stuff together, but ultimately it’s a pretty physical team in kind of a different way.”
Simmons followed up by saying the Lakers’ intensity, competitiveness, and defense does set them apart. However, the concerns, specifically about the toll that the added responsibility of being a lead rebounder would take on an older James, were notable. Zach Lowe offered some reassurance in response to his podcast partner.
Lowe said, “Their non-center lineups have been tough to deal with and they just have those two nasty terminator passing chess master dudes at the top of it. … JJ Redick can go to this 40 year old dude and be like, we just need you to guard [Alperen] Sengun for maybe the entire game. [James’] like, ‘Yeah, I’ll bang with them the whole game.”
LeBron has proven capable of defying what a 40-year-old athlete can be capable of in the sport of basketball time and time again. However, if come playoff time, James is caught with his hands on his hips as he catches his breath, it will not be a mystery to anyone with regard to why that is the case.
The Lakers rank 15th in the NBA in terms of rebounds per game (43.8) post All-Star break. The all hands on deck approach to rebounding has been sufficient enough to keep them middle of the pack in that category. Their rebounding percentage (49.9) is tied with the Atlanta Hawks for 17th in the NBA during that same span.
The Lakers’ brand of basketball since the Doncic trade has brought them solid success. However, the looming concern of wearing down James progressively throughout these upcoming playoffs will remain existent due to their playing style and the hefty load that the all-time great will be asked to carry.
